Dear All,
Love. This Sunday is Valentine’s day, a day where we are all encouraged to send cards or gifts to the person we love. Although I am not against sending or receiving gifts and cards, I am a bit put off by the commercial element to it, the almost forced affection! I am certain that my wife, Naomi, would appreciate a more spontaneous sign of my affection; it does not have to be a gift or card but can be an act of kindness or kind words. Or it may be that she would appreciate it if I were more attentive to what she wants or is saying.
In this week’s Bible reading in Mark's Gospel, we have the amazing account of Jesus being transfigured on the top of a mountain; that means His appearance changed, shining a dazzling white. As the story is told, a cloud envelops Jesus and the disciples who are witnessing this amazing event, and from the cloud God speaks and says, “This is my son, in whom I am well pleased, listen to him”. I wonder how you are at listening. I wonder how you are at listening to God.
You may be thinking, what does He says that I need to listen to? Well, I think in the Bible we find lots of things that Jesus said that are worth listening to. Love yourself, love your neighbour, love your enemy, give to the needy, do not store up treasures on earth, do not judge, listen to his words and put them into practice, come follow me, it is not the healthy who need a doctor but the sick, I have come so they may have life and life in all its fullness, I am the light of the world, I am the good shepherd, I am the gate, I am the way the truth and the life, go and make disciples of all nations.
Jesus has lots of things to say to us and when we follow His teachings closely, the world becomes a more loving, fair and just place to live. Jesus talks about Himself as the saviour of the world, and through his death and resurrection, He brings those who believe in him into a loving relationship with God.
So, if you are doing something this weekend to show your love to someone special, or if you are not, let us remember to listen to the one who loved us so much that he was prepared to die for us.
“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13
God bless,
Gareth
Help me to demonstrate Your love,
not only to those that are lovable,
but also to those who lash out at me through pain or anger, disappointment or loss.
May the love of Jesus be manifested in me,
and may the love of Jesus be distributed,
by grace through faith, to all with whom I come in contact.
In Jesus' name I pray,
Amen.