Lessons in LOVE

I've been memorizing more scripture lately. I find when in deep meditation and disciplining my mind and heart to commit to KNOWING Almighty God's words, He teaches me a greater lesson as it lingers in my spirit and soul. It causes me to think on it constantly as I say it over and over again.



I'm actually really enjoying it! This recent thought comes from John 17 as I memorize the conversation He had with His Father as He prepared for the deepest moments of agony He would experience here on earth. It's a window into such a precious intimate conversation that I find myself grateful that John recorded it for us.


As I study it more, I am really dumbfounded. Completely left in awe to the point of tears(ask Roger as I share these thoughts even with him in the car, tears stroll down my cheeks), I realize that the Father loves the Son SO MUCH... that He literally gives Him all He has, including all authority.



This is a profound thought! You see Jesus says,
John 10:17"The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again.No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."John 10:17-19



See, Jesus at any moment had the CHOICE to lay His life down. It was His choice. God gave Him the power. Even when He was before Pilate remember He declared to him, "Matthew 26:53Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?



And YET he didn't use His "Free get out of Jail Pass", He didn't shy away, but stared deep into the eyes of DEATH.



But I think the beautiful part is the other side of this great loving conversation. The scene demontrates not only the Father's love but how the Son LOVED His Father so so so much, and came to do HIS WILL. When we really love someone we want and desire to be faithful to them. To prove our love.


The Father gave everything to His Son. I think of the utter humility Jesus had to have to walk around in some ordinary earthen ware called a human body and be so hated, spit upon, beaten, betrayed, abandoned, belittled as a peasant lowly servant... AND YET HE, AT ANY MOMENT, could've spoken the word and revealed His glory. Yet He humbled himself in honoring His Father, so that the love of His Father could now be given to us freely that we would be able to call Him "OUR" Father.



In John 17 He says to His Dad, "All I have is yours and all you have is mine." Wow... now that is love. In this I wonder if my marriage to Roger shows to others that all I have is his and all he has is mine? That is true love. Selfless. That we would be one. I am praying to this end that the Lord will help me by His Spirit to love Roger with all I am and have that God in us would unify us so closely in a spiritual love that the world would know it is different. And as a result God would be glorified. For this is the way He has intended love. He is the Creator of it. And not only that but He demonstrated it in the love they had for one another.



The other verse that shows me a bit more understanding of the depth to what they had together, was when He says, "Father, glorify me in your PRESENCE with the glory I had with you TOGETHER BEFORE the world began." Now just look at that verse alone. Look at how close they were before the world was even created. Jesus longs for that taste of HOME. The taste of their family that is so different than this world. The taste of glory in HIS presence that cannot be compared with.



As I put myself in His shoes, thinking of myself getting ready for being ripped apart and crucified on a cross, I also would need to be reminded of something I was looking forward to, something that would help me chose to undergo this for something more. God knew that this was the very sacrifice you and I NEEDED in order to be able to have the eternal life, that could only be found in Jesus' blood. This offering wasn't just any lamb though.... this was His ONE and ONLY Son. We can't grasp this... but I must confess as I meditate on their loving conversation... my heart seems to surpass any human logic or reason, and flows with a humble remorse for my selfish life that cost Him, His. So now.. I long to live my life for Him. And you know the part that He's teaching me even in this day, is through Jesus, I can intimately have these conversations to God too!! They're called prayers to some. I call them the overflow of my heart to the one I love, respect, admire and devote my life to.



My God and Father, My Jesus and King,



Through the power of His Spirit now living in me,



We together are one.



Now that is worth dying for,



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