From the Side Of A Square

Hmmm.  

Maybe there will be more to say in a few days.

and naps.

Had both today.

 

Not a fan of either one of them.

Here's yet another blog on loving the church.   

 

I had a conversation with someone recently about loving the church.  I think we both felt like we're at least trying to love the church, anyway.  

 

But, when I got home, I started thinking about whether or not I really am loving the church.  How does one gage something like that?  What is the evidence? 

 

Yesterday, I had a thought about how to gage whether or not I love the church.  Here's the test I came up with: 

 

Find the person in my church who, in my estimation,  has hurt me, or others the most.  Put their face on "the church."  Then, decide whether or not I am loving the church.   How much am I praying for that person?  How much am I choosing to do more than just politely avoid that person?  How often do I ask God for forgiveness regarding my feelings toward that person?   How willing am I to sacrifice for that person, so that they can experience a blessing?  How often has that person walked away from me feeling loved and encouraged in the Lord?  I don't make enough effort in those areas with people I generally like, let alone those who have been difficult.

 

The Cross sheds light on our hearts.  The pure, perfect, powerful love of Jesus Christ exposes our utter inability to love anyone in our own flesh. 

The cross makes us all look alike:  desperate,  sin sick,  and hopeless without Jesus.  But with Jesus, the cross makes His chosen to look alike in a different way:  as people covered by the blood of Christ, radiant and pure, and acceptable in His sight.  Only He can give us eyes to see the changing power of the Cross.  And, only He can give us eyes to see and hearts to love His people the way Jesus sees His people.  

 

Do I love the church? When I look at that face I have put on the church, I am humbled.  I have so far to go to mature in this area.   But,  I press on in faith, in reading His word, in fellowship and service to His people, in dealing with my sin issues, and trust God that He will give me increasing love as I fix my eyes on HIS face.

 

 

 

We have Sirius radio, and I surf the dial all the time when I'm driving. (by myself that is)  Channel 1 is the pop channel, and the channel, I'm assuming, most kids listen to when they're in the car. 

 

I'm absolutely horrified at some of these lyrics.  HORRIFIED.

 

Britney is singing about threesomes.

Rap groups are singing about oral sex

Rock groups are singing about girlfriends who get wasted, dance with other men, and then go home with their boyfriends and go wild. 

 

What are we letting reach the ears of our kids?  There is so much we can't control in their lives, but there is much we can control.  I want my children to learn about matters of the heart and the beauty of love from those who don't parade our base urges around like much worshiped idols, and who choose NOT to think of other people as people to use and throw away for their own good pleasure.

 

God has things to say about both the purest and the most depraved versions of love and sex.  If we claim Christ as Lord, may we spend time learning and teaching ourselves and our kids His ways regarding this amazing part of the human experience.  If we don't spend  the time ourselves, and the time teaching our kids, they may get their questions answered by people like Britney Spears, Flo-Rida, and Theory of a Deadman.