Loving Intentionally

Intentional Loving

An indecisive faith and a wavering hope immobilize us on our journey to fullness of life and our daily walk in the Spirit of Jesus. If we could only believe Jesus was telling the truth then this world in which we live would be an exciting place! It’s a place of romance and adventure, a place of promise and a place of possibilities, a place of confidence and joyous expectation! But more than that, our world is a place of love. A place where we can live and love intentionally!

The Gospel of Jesus opens up the endless possibilities of love. There must be love and we must run the risk of being loved. The life Jesus lived before us always brings us to the place of God’s unending love. Jesus didn’t say maybe God is love ----or that it would be nice if God were love. Jesus said: God is love---period. But there is more to the message of Jesus. He insisted that His Father is crazy with love, that God is a kooky God who can scarcely bear to be without us. He crowns us with kindness and compassion.”

Lord, I want to sing,

I want to dance, I want to celebrate!

I want to send up a sky full of red balloons,

Scatter the roads with smiling daisies:

Crash the cymbals,

 Beat the drums,

Jungle tambourines,

Clang the bells,

I want to shake the trees

And splash the fountains, kiss the roses,

Bug the world

Lord!

Your love is like new wine.

I feel drunk with it!

Psalm 103 is a wonderful prayer; leading us to a faith-filled experience of the Father’s loving-kindness.’ Gentle waves of peace wash over us. The words “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits; which come into focus here like no other place? He pardons all of our iniquities, He heals all our ills. He redeems our lives from destruction! He crowns all of us with kindness and compassion” causing a deep sense of gratitude for the many times He has rescued us. Later the words “Not according to our sins does He deal with us, nor does He requires of us according to our crimes.” He puts us in touch with His presence and we begin to Praise Him for His greatness and goodness, His unbearable forgiveness, His boundless patience, and His tender love, put us in touch with His presence.

“For as the heavens are high above the earth, so surpassing is His Kindness toward those who fear Him…As a Father has compassion on His children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear (respect) Him.”

Lord it’s almost too good to be true.

But you are the truth and you said it, so I know it is real.

Today I asked you to speak to my heart, a word I could hear and understand.

And you said, very clearly, “I want you to be with me where I am.”

Lord, even the people who love me most need a vacation from me now and then.

But you don’t want one! You want me with you where you are forever.

“Love without any agenda…take tender care of one another with fondness and affection; esteems one another’s unique value.” (Romans 12: 9 and 10) “We are the product of God’s love…wear love like a uniform; this is what completes the picture of our oneness.” (Colossians 3)

I think that the scriptures are explicit as to our mutual journey into the depths of Father’s love. And the Cross forever displays the enormity of God’s great love. “In Christ, God opened a new and exciting way for us to encounter him without hesitation or restrictor…Love kindles faith and faith opens the horizon to explore love’s mystery.” (Hebrews)

Not only is God’s love real, it is the crowning truth of our search for purpose! To be loved and to learn how to love back may be the biggest and best challenge of our union with Jesus!

Intentionally learning to love! Ron Ross