All We Need Is Love

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I trust you are having a wonderful Valentine’s Day with your family and friends. In our culture today Valentine’s Day is a day for celebrating love. Of course, this has strong romantic overtones, but it doesn’t need to. As Christians, we can celebrate love in all its forms (including romantic love), but most especially the unglamorous love, the unconditional love, the love that compels us to serve others even when we don’t feel like it.

I think John Lennon was onto something when he wrote the song, “All You Need Is Love.” A quick read through the lyrics will show he wasn’t talking about love as a feeling, but rather the necessity of relying on the power of love, deep caring that motivates action, to navigate life, creating positive change along the way.

heartLove is patient, love is kind, it isn’t jealous, it doesn’t brag, it isn’t arrogant, it isn’t rude, it doesn’t seek its own advantage, it isn’t irritable, it doesn’t keep a record of complaints, it isn’t happy with injustice, but it is happy with the truth. Love puts up with all things, trusts in all things, hopes for all things, endures all things. Love never fails. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8, CEB)

This isn’t a guilt trip or a to do list. It’s just an encouragement to follow Jesus in loving others the same way that we love ourselves. (Mark 12:31) This love is not something we have to muster up but is rather an outflow of the Spirit’s presence in our lives. The Apostle Paul refers to this in his letter to the Ephesians.

I ask that [God] will strengthen you in your inner selves from the riches of his glory through the Spirit. I ask that Christ will live in your hearts through faith. As a result of having strong roots in love, I ask that you’ll have the power to grasp love’s width and length, height and depth, together with all believers. I ask that you’ll know the love of Christ that is beyond knowledge so that you will be filled entirely with the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:16-19, CEB)

Loving your neighbor as yourself is the convergence of making space for the presence of God in our lives and making space in our heart for the concerns of someone else. The fullness of God rooted in love connects within us to the need of another, which empowers us to love as Jesus loves. This is just the flip-side of “we love God best when we love others well.” We love others best when we love God well. All we need is love.

Grace and peace,
Brook

Love as Generosity

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Quite often when I write these devotional articles, I am dealing directly with something that I am wrestling with. This week is no exception. In fact, it might be one of my biggest challenges ever, being generous.

A young hand touches and holds an old wrinkled handLast week I wrote about love in action through responsibility. Being responsible is more than just making sure we did our part, that we took care of what was entrusted to us. Being responsible also entails the ability to respond well. To respond well we must be willing to make ourselves present to others. Being present is an act of generosity. Generosity is an act of love.

New Oxford American Dictionary
generous
adjective
(of a person) showing a readiness to give more of something, as money or time, than is strictly necessary or expected

As I was thinking of the realms of generosity, I realized that there are at least three: resources, time, and consideration. Generosity is most often attributed to resources, especially money. Secondarily, we think of generosity in terms of time. Lastly, generosity through consideration is probably the most difficult to recognize and realize. When we consider someone we give careful thought concerning them. It is an internal act of generosity. We must make space within ourselves so that we can make a person to person connection on the outside.

Jesus seemed to do this quite well. The story of the Samaritan woman in John 4 comes to mind. First off, Jesus was not put out by her presence. Secondly, he was willing to engage her in conversation, even following her lead. By the end she felt that she made a connection with him. “He told me everything I’ve ever done.” (John 4:39) Jesus’ generosity toward an outcast woman ended up changing her life, not to mention an entire town.

As we think about love, I pray we will also be able to realize the impact of a little generosity, especially when it comes to being present to those around us. As I mentioned above, I am taking this to heart as well.

Grace and peace,
Brook

Responsibility: Empowering Us to Be Present

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Over the month of January, I wrote about presence and the act of being present. I addressed being present to God, ourselves, and one another. My main point was that presence is a place of mutuality where life is lived and shared. When we are present to God we find our point of reference from which we can navigate the rest of our lives. For God is our ground of being and in God “we live, move, and exist.” (Acts 17:28) This reference point in God empowers us to be present to ourselves, or have a healthy sense of self awareness. We know our limitations and motivations. We know our context and what it is that contributes to the way we are feeling. We don’t need to be afraid of ourselves, but it is through self awareness that we can be present with others in full humility and honesty. Lastly, it is in being present to others that the “rubber hits the road.” It is where we live and move and express our existence. It is my prayer that we can do this responsibly or with the responsiveness that comes from God’s presence in us. Like I often say, “We love God best when we love others well.”

mountain vista of valley belowFor me, the month of February is the Month of Love. My hope is to write about love as action throughout February. The first thing I want to explore I already mentioned above, love as responsibility. Being responsible empowers us to live responsively, to be present to those around us.

Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent?
Who may live on your holy mountain?
The one whose walk is blameless,
who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from their heart;
whose tongue utters no slander,
who does no wrong to a neighbor,
and casts no slur on others;
who despises a vile person
but honors those who fear the Lord;
who keeps an oath even when it hurts,
and does not change their mind;
who lends money to the poor without interest;
who does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
Whoever does these things
will never be shaken.
(Psalm 15, NIV)

I first heard this passage of scripture in youth group when I was 16 years old. The youth pastor asked us what we thought it meant. I replied, “It describes someone who lives responsibly before God and others.” As you can tell, I’ve never forgotten that. Being present and responsible before God and others is not so much a progression, but a concurrent process. I pray that God’s grace would empower you to love responsibly.

Grace and peace,
Brook

Being Present to Others

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Life is not lived in a vacuum. We are not islands unto ourselves. We belong to one another.

I feel that it would be an over simplification to say that the goal of being present to God and of being present to ourselves is to be adequately prepared to be present with other people. The fact of the matter is that these three things are concurrent with and inform each other. Our experiences of being present in one aspect, help us to do the same in other aspects. That is to say, one is not more important than another. What good is it to have an awesome prayer time only to find yourself holding ill feelings toward a loved one. Or, have an amazing sense of self-awareness, only to be oblivious to those around us. It is all inter-connected. It all matters. It all takes practice. (Ephesians 4:1-6)

I came across a story earlier this week about an American WWII soldier who, in realizing his own feelings, thought of his enemy and how to reach out to him. You can watch him tell the story below.

The reason I share this story is for us to realize that our lives are not our own. Our practice of presence may at some times seem mundane and at others amazingly significant. The idea of being adequately prepared to be present is not in storing up preparation, but rather the practice of presence itself. Instead of seeing ourselves as a reservoir, maybe we should see ourselves as a stream. Our experiences form the channel through which presence flows. It is a picture of strong weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9) Our strength is not found in the ability to hold on to presence, but in the presence that flows through us. (If you have ever tried to wade across a stream, you will know what I’m talking about.) The strength of presence comes from spending time with God, having a healthy sense of self-awareness, and taking the time to be with others where they are at.

My hope is that as we step into the practice of being present, we will find that it is a grace not only for others but for ourselves as well.

Grace and peace,
Brook

Being Present with Yourself

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Last week I wrote that sometimes doing nothing is actually doing something. The first step of doing something is to pause and get a lay of the land. When it comes to spirituality, we “find our bearings” when we make ourselves present and available to God. But, as I was thinking about it more, I realized that in making myself present to God I usually spend a good part of the time wrestling with myself instead of spending time with Jesus.

Pond at Russian Ridge Open Space Nature Center. #reflection #nofilter

Pond at Russian Ridge Open Space Nature Center. #reflection #nofilter

Being present is not just an outward practice. It is inward as well.

For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.  (1 Corinthians 2:11)

Usually we tell ourselves that we must put down, squash, and quiet whatever is going on inside of us in order to connect with God. But, God is not put out or surprised by what we think or feel. God is interested in where we are at, so in making ourselves present to God, we would do well to become present to ourselves. When we are honest with our thoughts and feelings and realize that it’s not a problem for God, we can bring it with us and allow our context to be a part of our connection with God. None of our other relationships exist in a vacuum, so neither should our relationship with God. God is a God of the living, so live life with God!

“What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived” —
the things God has prepared for those who love him—
these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.
The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.
(1 Corinthians 2:9-10)

Grace and peace,
Brook

Choosing to Be Present

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Sometimes doing nothing is actually doing something.

Last week I wrote about 2014 being a year of taking action. As I thought about it, I realized that the first step in taking action is to “find our bearings.” We have to know where we are in order to know where we are going. We find our bearings by referring to our relationship with other things. In a spiritual sense, we find our bearings when we make ourselves present to God.

God made the nations so they would seek him, perhaps even reach out to him and find him. In fact, God isn’t far away from any of us. In God we live, move, and exist. (Acts 17:27-28)

Cafe table with two empty chairsThe forms in which we make ourselves present to God are as unique as each individual. The important thing is that we experiment until we find a practice that helps us to connect to God and do it. We must also remember that God is always present whether we perceive it or not. Regardless of the form, we must at some point turn our focus toward God.

To be honest, this is difficult for me to do. I have a hard time being present, because I usually have a million things going through my head and countless other things going on around to distract me. It takes me a long time to get quiet. But, in conversation with friends, I know that it just takes practice. Our dear friend, Josh Pinkston, wrote about silent prayer and its challenges this week. Here is an excerpt from his article.

I practice Silent Prayer and encourage others to, not so that we can become proficient at making ourselves silent, but so that we can become greater hearers and experiencers of Christ, who is all and in all and through all. It is to unclog our external and internal ears that are filled with opinions, hurts, self-centeredness, and expectations.

Being present to God may feel like doing nothing, but it is in being still that we can know God. (Psalm 46:10)

Grace and peace,
Brook

Embracing the Next Step

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Over the last few years I have utilized annual themes in writing these devotional articles. It started in 2011 by focusing on Community. From the theme of Community came Building Bridges in 2012. This last year was focused on Embracing. These themes put together create a long trajectory. When we begin to understand ourselves as a community and as individuals within a community, we can then begin to build bridges to that community, understanding that we are actually the bridges themselves. A bridge is a connection between two places that do not immediately meet. A bridge touches, or better yet, embraces both sides of its span. An embrace is an introduction, a discovery, and the beginning of what possibly lies ahead. The embrace leads to a next step.

Sacagawea by Robert Schoeller

Sacagawea by Robert Schoeller

Recently, my family was listening to an audio book chronicling the adventure of Lewis and Clark as they set out to discover a water way from the upper Midwest to the Pacific Ocean. Some distance into the journey, Sacajawea, their Native American guide, introduced them to her people, the Shoshone. The Shoshone had a custom of greeting one and all with a hug. Lewis and Clark humorously referred to this greeting as the “national embrace!” Sometimes this ritual would last for hours.

Lewis and Clark, and as well the Shoshone, discovered that after their embrace there were decisions to be made. Would they continue together or not? To what degree would they support one another? Would they share resources materially, socially, or politically? As they discovered, the embrace was only the beginning. As it turned out, the Shoshone became a vital part of the success of the expedition. This success was based on each party choosing and sticking to the next step.

2014 is a year of next steps. A year of making decisions and taking action. This trajectory we are on is a continual trajectory. Community, bridge building, and embracing will happen concurrently with and will even be the grace to empower us in our journey into the next steps. There is much that lies before us, but we are not alone on this expedition. God has given us the Holy Spirit, the Scriptures, and one another. Just as Sacajawea introduced Lewis and Clark to the “national embrace” that led to a successful alliance, may we as a community continue in the love that chooses to embrace and takes the next steps of loving God by loving one another, so that the influence of God’s kingdom would extend beyond our wildest dreams.

Grace and peace,
Brook

Embracing Jesus

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I trust that you had a wonderful Christmas! This is the final installment in the Embracing Advent devotional series. We walked through embracing hope, peace, joy, and love. Now, we conclude with some thoughts on embracing Jesus.

She Shall Bring Forth a Son, by Liz Lemon Swindle

She Shall Bring Forth a Son, by Liz Lemon Swindle

We see in the Christmas narratives in Matthew and Luke that all along people needed to make a choice to embrace this child, Jesus, and his family. As each one did, they realized that it would be a tremendous blessing and as well and a serious cost.

Let’s take Mary as an example. The angel promised her a son as her first born, which in and of itself is a great blessing in her culture. This son would also be the Messiah. She was overjoyed! So overjoyed, in fact, that she burst into song over it! (Luke 1:46-55) She also knew that she would be judged and misunderstood as bearing an illegitimate son, even though Joseph embraced Jesus as his own. At Jesus’ birth his arrival was announced by angels and proclaimed by shepherds, but she also stored up all these events and announcements, pondering what they could mean, questioning, even arguing with herself, as she came to terms with the future of her son and her family. This was confirmed for her at Jesus’ dedication at eight days old when Simeon, a righteous and devout man, broke into praise at the sight of the baby Jesus. His words were concluded with the warning that Jesus would bring about significant change religiously and politically, that he would be the object of opposition, and that, spoken to Mary, “a sword would pierce your own soul too.” (Luke 2:35) The beautiful thing about Mary is that it seems there is no cost too high in her obedience to God and in her caring for those God has given her.

As the Christmas spirit continues with us in our holiday celebrations, what is it that we can take away from Mary’s example? What does it look like for you as you embrace Jesus this Christmas and in the new year? The blessings are numerous, such as God’s active presence in our lives through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and through the people we live and gather with on a daily and weekly basis. The challenges are no less numerous as we embrace Jesus, taking seriously the command to love God by loving others. The blessings and challenges are as unique as each individual that considers them. I pray that you take a few moments to reflect on the blessings that are afforded you as you embrace Jesus, and that you seriously consider the challenges that come your way as well. The kingdom way of Jesus is the do the hard work of embracing Jesus through the challenges, allowing the God’s Spirit to empower us so that we can become the reflection and presence of Jesus in our world.

Grace and peace,
Brook

Embracing Love

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One of my favorite themes for Christmas is “love came down.” It is something I visualize in moments of worship and spiritual reflection. It is the enactment of John 3:16, “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,” Jesus. This is at the heart of the Christmas story, but only part of the story.

Give Love (temporary body art)

Give Love (temporary body art)

You have undoubtedly heard me say the phrases, “Love God by loving others,” and “We love God best when we love others well.” This is the other side of the story, and I see it exemplified in the lives of Mary and Joseph. It was Mary’s love for God that empowered her to say, “Yes, I will love this child that will be given to me by God.” This act of love ultimately turned out to be an act of love toward the whole world in giving life to the Savior. Likewise, it was in Joseph’s love for God and for Mary that he said, “Yes, I will raise this child as my own son.”

Embracing love isn’t always pretty. When we truly love we take risks, saying yes to others before ourselves. Even though Jesus became our example in this, I believe he also followed the example of his earthly parents.

We hold up love as the highest virtue and plumb its depths for glimpses of beauty. This beauty is rarely found in airbrushed romantic vignettes, but in the nitty-gritty rub of everyday life when we are pushed to give just a little more than we thought possible, that is where we find beauty in love. I know that is what Mary and Joseph would say as they embraced love to become Jesus’ parents. In the counter-intuitive nature of the God’s kingdom, love given is love received and love received empowers us to love yet again. It is from God that love came down, and “we love because God first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)

May you experience God’s love as you love one another this Christmas!

Grace and peace,
Brook

Embracing Joy

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This week has been very busy. I cannot say that I’ve been continually joyful. I have, though, been reflecting on joy a lot this week and realized that joy is not automatic, nor is it something we muster up from inside us. Joy is an outward expression, and we express it when the opportunity meets us, that is if our hearts are open to recognize and embrace it.

joy shining throughTake the story of the shepherds in Luke 2:8-20. They receive the message from a band of angels that Messiah has been born in Bethlehem. They hurry off to investigate and discover that it is true. It’s at that point that they are full of joy and proclaim Jesus’ birth to anyone who will listen to them.

The shepherds did not have to respond the way they did. They could have taken one look at Jesus lying in the manger and said that there is no way the promised king from David’s family would come into the world like that. But, in that moment they chose to believe that hope of Messiah would be fulfilled through the life of that baby.

Joy is the recognition, embrace, and reveling in the moment when faith, hope, and love converge and intersect our lives. It may not seem that grandiose, but even in the simple things we can receive a gift of love, the stirring of faith, and the realization of hope, which can only be expressed outwardly with joy.

May our hearts be open to the opportunities to find joy, especially in this most joyous of times, Christmas!

Grace and peace,
Brook