We’ve explored how walking the Way of Love can ‘help us Learn
how we can be part of the light of God in the world’. When we Go,
we, like the disciples, ‘will be tossed and blown and sorted’ by the One who
baptizes “with the Holy Spirit and fire.” We saw that ‘Jesus called unlikely
disciples (fishermen) and…continues to ask us to Bless our world using the
things we have on hand.’
We recognized that ‘in and through and during dedicated time
with God…worship, we can begin to…acknowledge and support one another on
our faith journeys.’ We considered that when we Pray, we can ‘respond
differently to the challenges in our lives’.
In this series we’ve acknowledged that ‘we are given a job
to do for the Kingdom-for the Way of Love.’ This sometimes requires ‘a U-turn’.
Finally, when ‘we rest in the Lord, we are empowered to respond with love to the
cares and concerns of the world’.
How do we apply these nice Way of Love practices? This week’s Gospel calls us to the hard task
of loving and forgiving our enemies. (Luke 6:27-38) It’s where, as they say,
the rubber hits the road.
Jesus said, "I
say to you that listen, Love your
enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for
those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other
also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt.
Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not
ask for them again. Do to others as you
would have them do to you.
"If you love
those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who
love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to
you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to
receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive
as much again. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in
return. Your reward will be great, and you
will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the
wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
"Do not judge,
and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned.
Forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. A good
measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your
lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back."
Jesus says simply, love, do good, bless, pray. In other
words, ‘do to others as you would have them do to you’. When you love your
enemies without expecting anything, ‘you will be children of the Most High’. The
good news is we don’t have to do this alone. We have our community and we have
God to help us as we seek to forgive, be non-judgmental, and understanding.
The contemporary Christian song, by the group NeedToBreathe,
entitled Forever On Your Side*, sums
up the attitude we need. God assures us that “I’m forever on your side”. If we
believe that, we can take the steps we need to live a changed life. The steps
we need to walk along the Way of Love!
We can continue on our journey of love, forgiving, and self-surrender! God
promises that when we “Take my hand when
you can't see the light…I will carry you every time, 'Cause I'm forever on your
side”.
Listen to this love song (Forever On Your Side) and consider what it might mean if
you believed ‘my love knows no end’.
Use the Collect for Sunday as part of your devotions this
week: O Lord, you have taught us that without love whatever we do is worth
nothing: Send your Holy Spirit and pour into our hearts your greatest gift,
which is love, the true bond of peace and of all virtue, without which whoever
lives is accounted dead before you. Grant this for the sake of your only Son
Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now
and for ever. Amen.
*Forever on Your Side
I won't pretend
That we can control the night
Or what kind of road we're on
Oh where we will see the light
Right now I'm talking to you
I'm looking into your eyes
Right now I'm trying to show you
That we're gonna be alright
Oh I don't know
What's around the bend
All I know
Is that my love
It knows no end
All these pieces they fall in line
Because I'm forever on your side
Take my hand when you can't see the light
'Cause I'm forever on your side
I will carry you every time
'Cause I'm forever on your side
They'll beat you up
But don't let them keep you down
'Cause you're always tough enough
And I'll always be around…
That we can control the night
Or what kind of road we're on
Oh where we will see the light
Right now I'm talking to you
I'm looking into your eyes
Right now I'm trying to show you
That we're gonna be alright
Oh I don't know
What's around the bend
All I know
Is that my love
It knows no end
All these pieces they fall in line
Because I'm forever on your side
Take my hand when you can't see the light
'Cause I'm forever on your side
I will carry you every time
'Cause I'm forever on your side
They'll beat you up
But don't let them keep you down
'Cause you're always tough enough
And I'll always be around…
Oh I can't promise
that a day will never come
Where the ground beneath us falls out and we got no where to run
Oh but you won't be alone when the water starts to rise up
No you won't be alone my darling when the rains come
Where the ground beneath us falls out and we got no where to run
Oh but you won't be alone when the water starts to rise up
No you won't be alone my darling when the rains come
