Truth and love

Mr. Barclay, again, on the beginning of 2 John:

(i) Christian truth tells us the way in which we ought to love. Agape (Greek #26) is the word for Christian love. Agape (Greek #26) is not passion with its ebb and flow, its flicker and its flame; nor is it an easy-going and indulgent sentimentalism. And it is not an easy thing to acquire or a light thing to exercise. Agape (Greek #26) is undefeatable goodwill; it is the attitude towards others which, no matter what they do, will never feel bitterness and will always seek their highest good. There is a love which seeks to possess; there is a love which softens and enervates; there is a love which withdraws a man from the battle; there is a love which shuts its eyes to faults and to ways which end in ruin. But Christian love will always seek the highest good of others and will accept all the difficulties, all the problems and all the toil which that search involves. It is of significance that John writes in love to warn.

The Evil One has done a snow-job on us. Today, even Christians talk about their “passion.” Feeling is supposed to be the most genuine part of humanity. But it’s a lie. The most genuine part, if we may talk of such things, is the will. It is what we decide to do.

God is love

J.R Miller wrote this story in a devotional thought based upon Lk 2.12.

Yes! that is the meaning of it all. It tells of the good will of God toward all men. There is a strange medieval legend which illustrates this truth. An infidel knight, in the wildness of his mad, Heaven-defying infidelity, determined to test, by the method to which as a knight he was accustomed, the reality and power of the God whose existence he denied.

So, going out into the field, armed as if for combat, he cast his glove down upon the ground, after the manner of the ancient challengers, and cried out to the heavens: “God! if there be a God, I defy thee here and now to mortal combat! If thou indeed art, put forth thy might, of which thy pretended priests make such boasts.” As he spoke, his eye was caught by a piece of parchment fluttering in the air just above his head. It fell at his feet. He stooped and picked it up, and found inscribed upon it these words, “God is love!” Overcome by this unexpected response, he broke his sword in token of his surrender, and kneeling upon the fragments, consecrated his life henceforth to the service of that God whom he had just before defied.

7P: True love serves

Eddie Lawson’s evangelistic sheet turned up recently while moving papers to the home office. Thinking how to translate it into Portuguese and format it for use.
A second box of books has been removed from the carport containers and contents distributed on the shelves.
I mentioned Covey’s 8th habit of finding your voice recently and a friend enthusiastically picked it up. Now to read the book.
Service to God permeates everything, everywhere: home, office, school, streets, gym. I see people doing it.
In a word, true love serves and builds up the other person. That’s the point of 1 Cor 13.
An original verse: Movement is life, the struggle to be free, / Unless it’s a falling rock, from gravity.
A Bible verse: “Because you have turned away from the Lord, the Lord will not be with you” Num 14.43.