Tuesday, 10 July 2012
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The Reward for Loving God and Loving Others
What is the reward for loving God and by that fact our deepening ability to love others? The remuneration for love is to simply love more. If God is love, infinite love as manifested to us in Christ Jesus, then our relationship is not static but goes deeper into this mystery of love. Our movies, literature, art and our most urgent longings are for love.
Because we are made for a love that is infinite -- a love that can’t be owned, or bought, or for that matter controlled -- all other loves become pointers to this one reality of God’s love for us and our longing to return it. The death that Jesus is calling us to is the letting go of control, as well as our often insane search for love in places that actually limit our humanity and imprison us.
Our lives are difficult; it is when we try to escape the trails of life that can get us into trouble. Our lack of love for others is often a tactic to keep others at arms length. Our contempt and anger is one way at keeping the pain that others show us at a safe distance. This is isolating and causes our hearts to close down; we fear life.
The fruits of the spirit allow us to grow in love that the grace of Jesus Christ offers us. The fruits of the spirit are: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Gentleness, Goodness, Faithfulness and Self control. When we allow the fruits of the Spirit to rule our souls, then we are not fearful of allowing the pain and suffering of others into our lives. Our hearts expand and through God’s grace, people experience Jesus Christ through us. We allow ourselves to be used by God to touch others; we simply stay open to what is before us and seek to follow God’s will for us. We do not seek to control or to manipulate others, we see Christ in all of those around us and when we interact with others we plant seeds in their hearts, just as our relationship with others also ministers to us in often unforeseen and wonderful ways.We with God’s grace will slowly become the people we never thought possible. When we say the Our Father, we are in fact forgiving everyone in our lives that have hurt us, even if we do not advert to it. The very fact that we pray, which is a response to grace’s invitation, is a sign that we are on the road of love and healing. Even though at times we much make a difficult act of trust; for trust in a conscious stance and choice towards God’s love, not only for us, but for all.
On the Cross, Christ said these words: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”. This is a prayer based on love and an insight into our struggles, failures and passions that often blind us to the truth. Christ was fully human, as well as divine; we are called to allow the humanity of Christ to make us like him, human beings that live out the image that they are made in. It is by our compassion and empathy for others that we live out his divine image in our souls.
In what ways has God used you through loving and forgiving others? How have you seen the fruits of the spirit manifest in your life?
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- From: markdohle@xanga
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Comments (5)
My fiance sure shows it. Nobody would ever talk bad about her unless they are just plain bad people. Compare that to other (c)hristians who get so political and self righteous nobody can stand to be around them.
@LadyboyRevolution@xanga -
I am very happy that you have someone kind in your life my friend. The christian faith is not for the perfect, or the best or even the good, but for those on the way, who are imperfect and often forgetful of the central point of their calling, which to love, simple, but diffiuclt at the same time. It takes years to mature and take root I believe. I am 63 and am still at the beginning. Thank you for this reply and the others that you leave.
Peace
Mark
Come on, we don't love God. Not really. Let's be honest. If we could and did, then yes the reward is eternal life with God. But we do not. We do not keep any of His directives. Instead, we constantly seek to make ourselves 'god' a/k/a masters of our own lives. To 'earn' or to 'find' our reward based upon our own conduct ---- thus falling deeper into misconduct. It is only when we realize that we do not that we then feel contrite, repent of our sinful conduct, and then rely upon God's grace by faith in the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus who paid for our misdeeds on the cross for us. Where God uses me or you or others, then great; it is to His glory, not ours, not for any reward.
@HLPU@xanga -
If that is what you believe, ok. From my own experiences, even when we fail, we get up and continue on our journey because we love God. It is of course a response to grace. In all of our relationships, it is love of others that causes us to grow, slowly perhaps, but we grow. We are loved first, but we are called to love God with our whole hearts, minds and souls, and to love our neighbors as ourselves, which I believe we are seeking to do.
peace
mark
Aristotle reasoned out that the end of all human action was happiness.
But he couldn't figure out how to get from here to there.
That's where God comes in. He taught us that the fullest pursuit of happiness was made possible by loving God and loving our neighbor as our self.
And he even taught us how to do that too.