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Sunday 7 December 2014

Love Is The Evidence



Anyone who knows me closely should know that I get different topics, ideas and songs stuck in my head. The song above is one that has been running through my head in connection to things God has been sharing with me in general. I love the lyrics to this song, particularly when it says something like: "Mercy and Grace and Compassion. They're only words without action."

1 Corinthians 4:20 states that, in a context of Paul warning the people of Corinth not to just speak arrogantly and not listen to the apostolic leadership he brings, "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power." Bam, the Bible again pretty much speaks for itself. I get frustrated when people get caught up in talk about different little doctrines or 'church politics' or so on. We are meant to be living examples - living evidence - of the Kingdom of God, to walk in power and authority.

That is why I love this song: because love - true God-inspired love - is meant to be the evidence for those around us that there is something more to life than just existence, pain and death. That the very world around us is all a sign that God truly has placed eternity in the hearts of all men.

I read somewhere recently someone saying that 'the Bible is the greatest cause of conflict in the world today.' I had a little laugh at that, because to me that's like saying 'the machines that manufacture guns kill more people than any other kind of machinery.' Okay yes it's a poor analogy but bear with me on this: the point I'm trying to make is that it's not machines that make guns that kill people, it's not even guns that kill people - it's guns in the hands of the wrong people that kill and cause war and destruction. The same goes for Christianity - the Bible in the hands of the wrong people has unfortunately been used to cause a lot of destruction and that's because we live in a fallen, broken world where people love to twist things to their own ends. The point to me in all this, however is that it's a continuing challenge to me to reflect on one simple aim: am I living a life of Godly faith, hope and love? Or am I twisting those to suit my own agendas.

I watched Exodus: Gods and Kings yesterday and found it an average film with some highlights such as the whole idea of God not just testing Ramses as Pharaoh, but of God testing the heart of Moses at the same time. I also found the angel of death scene to be one of, if not the most, powerful versions of that scene on film. Probably to me though what I found to be the most interesting (and yes that can be a loaded word I know) was the idea of Moses trying to do various things in his own strength rather than in his faith in God and God leading him to a point where he was able to trust. Now, I definitely can't say what proceeded from that was Biblical but it was an interpretation that made me think - that in the end yes God wants to save his people as a whole, but he also wants to save, redeem and raise up that one pivotal person: Moses.

The same goes out to all of us: God loves his people as a whole, but he loves you as an individual. The encouraging reflection for me today is that from this personalised love God has for us: we can know him intimately. In the Old Testament God spoke through miracles and chosen people - today after the arrival of Jesus Christ he speaks personally to each one of us and through each one of us. And that makes the fulfillment of the law through Christ a truly special privilege. And the evidence of this love is the outpouring of love in my own heart.

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