Tuesday, March 20, 2012

the essence of Christianity

Mark 12:28-44

This passage is becoming more and more important to me:

29 Jesus replied, "The most important commandment is this: 'Listen, O Israel! The LORD our God is the one and only LORD. 30 And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.' 31 The second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' No other commandment is greater than these."

If only we could do that.  But I can't do either one without Christ.  It is only the life of Christ lived through me, in step with the Holy Spirit, which can accomplish these two commands.

I was impressed the other day with a moment of grace.  Brandi had already told Beau not to do something (like pester his brother) several times, and he did it again!  I was already aggravated by his orneriness and disobedience, so I jumped up out of my chair in anger to swat him and scold him, but my hands simply picked him up from the floor, and the words that came out of my mouth simply instructed him to listen to and obey his mother.  I know that the Holy Spirit had given me a moment of grace, because it felt like I responded more like Christ than I wanted to. 

I want to love like Christ does.  I want to love the Father like Christ loves the Father.  I want to love people like Christ loves people.

Heavenly Father, please help me. I want to love, but love only comes from you.  Please help me be kind and compassionate to my wife and gentle and instructive to my sons.  I love you, Lord.  I pray in the name of Jesus.

No comments:

Post a Comment