October 2016

Dear Friends,

Sunday, October 2 is World Communion Sunday. This Sunday we remember that Christians around the world are one, because we are all loved and redeemed by the love of Christ.

It is God’s love and grace that frees us to love him in return. Jesus said the first and greatest commandment is this, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind and with all
your strength.”

To say that we love something means we value it. We can use the term in so many ways. “I love this new shirt,” probably means we think we look really good in it. “I love my new TV,” means my shows are more enjoyable because of the great picture. Of course, we express love in much more significant ways. “I love my wife (or husband),” is an expression of giving ourselves because we find them so attractive, kind, funny, smart, devoted, in short lovable.

God says love me with all you are, nothing held back. And that kind of love can be given only to the one who is of matchless value. I am to love God with all I am because God is worthy of all I am.

He gives us life in the first place. He sustains our life. He brings blessing that result in joy in life. And he redeems us so that we have life that never ends.

Now I admit that a lot of this may sound a little abstract. Knowing I am supposed to love God doesn’t automatically mean I do. In fact, I may find that I love other things, that are much more immediate to me much more.

But then I think of this - that Jesus Christ truly loves me. He truly loves you. You are precious to him. He finds value in you, and his great desire is to love you so much that you will learn to love him in return.

An old story tells of a boy whose home was lost in a fire along with his family. Only the boy was saved when a man climbed the drain pipe up the side of the house to the window where the boy stood and pull him out. After a time a hearing was held to determine who would have custody of the boy. Several couples offered to bring him to their home. They could feed, shelter and educate him, making him part of their family. After several requests a lone man stood and walked to the front of the court room. “I would like to raise the boy and make him my son,” he said. “And what can you offer him?” asked the judge. The man held up his bandaged hands, burned while rescuing the child. The boy ran forward and gently caressed those beautiful scared hands.

He had come to love the one who loved him. So can we.

  Pastor Byron