Saturday 9/3/2005
John 10.1-21-The sheep will not follow strangers. They don’t recognize a stranger’s voice, and they run away.
2 Chronicles 8-Solomon offered sacrifices to the LORD…
Psalm 73-Powerful LORD God, all who stray far from you will be lost…It is good for me to be near you.
Romans 13.8-14-for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law-Love your neighbor as yourself-Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law.
John 15.9-17-As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love…"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love that his, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends…I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.
Psalm 101-I will sing of loyalty and of justice; to you , O LORD, I will sing.
"He pulled the pole over and stretched the line."—An observation of a mistake made by a dump truck driver who tangled with a telephone line- pulled the telephone pole to the side and stretched the usually slightly looped telephone line taut. It was a mistake- it was a simple oversight- it could have been worse- but really not all that bad- yea- it’s going to take repairs- but really all was ok. As the driver of the truck works he takes hand directions from one person behind him – at the back of the truck- he doesn’t take directions from just anyone- and he must take directions – because the driver cannot see all that needs to be seen- and if he fails to follow the hand signals then accidents occur- just like I must follow the voice of Jesus my Shepherd- if I don’t mistakes will occur- I must sacrifice my own sense of importance – I must sacrifice my own feelings of knowing everything and follow Jesus- and the path he gives is amazing- even when I know of the laws and things I must do or must not do- Jesus shows me a different way- he fulfills all the laws with love and compassion- he shows me an example of love for me and all people that goes beyond the law- that is above and way beyond the law- that fulfills the law in the love of God- that love that was willing to give life itself for me- to save me from my sin- to rescue me from myself- to re-direct my life away from following my own selfish desires to giving my life first to God then to my friends and neighbors- that giving of self in love- above and beyond any law that could be made- then I can abide in his love- I can lay down my life for a friend- I can hear Jesus command to love one another- and I can sing that joyful song of loyalty and justice to a God with a love so deep he was willing to give it all up for me- he was willing to fulfill the law- he was willing to stretch that line of the law so tight that it displayed the fulfillment of life in his love – "He pulled the pole over and stretched the line."- Yea- that’s just what God has done for me through his gracious salvation in Jesus. – I think I hear someone calling me to do the same for a friend or neighbor in my world.
Prayer- Lord – teach me to stretch that line – to hear your voice and follow your lead- to lay down my life for a friend- to give it all to them and all to you- teach me to love as you love- forgive me when I fail to recognize your voice – forgive my selfishness- and keep me in direct contact with your voice of love and direction. --- Amen
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