I LOVED EVERY SECOND OF IT.  It's predictable, and schmaltzy, and all those other things that make movies get bad reviews.  But, I don't care.  

It's based on a true story, which makes it all the better.  There are caring people in this world.  Loving others really can make a difference.  To whom much is given, much is required, and these folks have lived that out. 

I'm going again this week, and I'm quite sure it will make Lisa's 2010 Christmas List.

So, I need to trust God for why the event of this morning happened.  Even if He never tells me why it happened, I still need to trust Him, and look to Him for help and strength and maturity and forgiveness and understanding and all those other good godly character traits and virtues that I don't seem to have any of right now.  At the end of the day, I answer to Him for my behavior alone, and I even need to trust Him with that.

Right now, I don't feel very trusting, or peaceful, or mature about any of this. 

I just feel beaten up.  

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.