I have a friend that reminded me, about a year ago, what my job is while I walk this earth: I am to love, and I add: I am to love, even when I would rather not, even when it is hard, even when I would prefer retaliation toward a perceived enemy.
Love Master
Approximately three years ago, I set a goal for myself, to become a Love Master. This sounds sensual in a sexed up world, does it not dear reader? I humbly submit, that Love Master as a book title, was a whisper in my ear, from The Master of the universe, God Almighty. It was a reminder to me that God is Love personified. He came in the flesh to teach you, to teach me, what love looks and acts like. I confess, I have fallen far short of Jesus’ established bench marks for being loving, but he is not done with me yet. While I have breath and people in my life, I can still learn love.
Whispers of hope
I have several anniversary dates approaching: as I consider them, waves of grief wash over me. The last time I was in the ocean, my tears mixed and mingled with salty waters and it was there that I pledged my allegiance to God in a way that I had not done before. My life was about to take extraordinary twists and turns and I needed him to chart my course. It feels like this now, in a quieted world: we all need him more then ever, to lead The Way. He has forced a full stop, and I am grateful for his faithfulness.
I feel the grief abating, as I sit in stillness. Within one paragraph, I have travelled the world, from waves of grief to whispers of hope, from Panama to London Ontario, timelessly. Glorious.
What is my job
I have asked God, what am I to do Lord, what is my job? The memory echo of my friend came to me, words spoken with a gentle admonishment, and a commanding expression on his face “your job is to love.” He pressed a stop button for me, and I believe God has done this for the world at this point of our soon-to-be-history. All noise and nonsense and busy here there and everywhere is, quite simply, stopped.
Moses had a temper
 |
| Grace is a gift |
Why am I sharing this with you dear reader? It is because of Moses! Moses had a temper. Moses got irritated. Moses put up with nonsense and at the same time, repeatedly asked God to show mercy on a stubborn heart hardened people! He struck a rock instead of speaking to it as God commanded and I have this urge too, to become aggressive and retaliatory when I perceive my fellow human beings are travelling away from, rather than toward, the will of The Father. Silly me, it is God that is in control and when I want to take charge, I am reminded that I did not make the universe, nor am I superwoman in charge of saving it: Grace already won that battle, and it just so happens my middle name is a reminder to me, that his grace is a gift, to me and everyone else he Fathers!
Love for eight hours a day
Back to me. I set a goal to become a master of love like my Saviour. I calculated that if I practiced the art of love for eight hours a day, in 3.424 years, I would reach my goal. I giggle at the concept because while I have truly travelled what seems like a kajillion miles away from who I was and toward who God designed me to be, I have a long road ahead to reach my goal. I tell you this: we can only hit a mark when we aim, and I am still pointing my arrow at the target. The goal was set about 3.1 years ago, give or take some time. Smile, giddy-up, I am continuing to track, while the world figures out what I call the carnivorous virus, the one that threatens to eat our sound minds if we are not careful…
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline”(2 Timothy 1:7).
I will take what God has freely given, fearlessly, in love, while modelling self-discipline.
He is in the still
What about you, dear one, what has God whispered in your ear that you want all to hear? Who does he want you to be in a world gone wonky? Might I suggest, that it was wonky before God pushed the stop button? He is in the still, are you hearing him in the quiet?
Listen, he has a message just for you, can you hear him? This is your time to restart, with him.
