So, the title of this blog may sound a little odd, but let me explain. My pastor just preached a sermon on John 11 where Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead. Never have I heard this story in such a light. When Martha and Mary send word to Christ that Lazarus is sick, they say..."Lord, the one whom you love is sick."(v. 3) What kind of relationship does this statement hold?!? How can I read something like that and now want it? I'll tell you what, I am just being steamrolled by the love of Jesus Christ today. It's sad that it took me this long to really start cherishing it.
I have been saved for 16 years...that is the longest friendship I have ever had actually. My family moved around a bit, so meeting new friends was part of the territory. Yet, I have had a friend who has stuck with me through thick and thin, to put it oh so mildly. But really, how well do I know my old friend? Not nearly enough, you see, I am just beginning to grasp the very foundation of my relationship with Him...LOVE. We love Him, because He first loved us. For the love of Christ compels us... For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son... It's all over the Bible. People search for love all their lives, they die for it, they sacrifice for it. But here are the "Christians" really sacrificing by going to church, putting in their ten percent (with their name on that envelope big and bold), and maybe even reading their Bible or praying for a few minutes a day. What love, what sacrifice! or not. I may sound cynical right now, but I was right there in the thick of it. We have left our first love.
With Easter right around the corner, I think it might be a good time to really ask ourselves, why. Why do I do what I do? Figuring out the right way to do things is completely humbling, because then you know why you are doing it. Jesus loves ME. How on earth do we consider that a child's song meant for Sunday school? How powerful are those words? I think David had it right in Psalm 107:1 - "Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; his love endures forever."
