Sunday, September 14, 2014

All We Need is Love? Still True

This oldster spends perhaps too much time in the past, but I have a lot of past.  This article is a re-presentation of the very first devotional, or spiritual life post ever displayed on String Too Short to Tie.  It was put up four days after the inception of the blog itself.  Pastor Keith mentioned herein was the assistant pastor six years ago when this was written.  He has since moved on to another community as lead pastor of a congregation there.


Today my youngest child, Kenneth, turns forty-seven.  Happy birthday, Kenny!

All We Need is Love?

This morning's worship service started with the congregation singing "Since Jesus Came into My Heart."
I have ceased from my wanderings and going astray
Since Jesus came into my heart.
And my sins which were many
Are all washed away. 
Since Jesus came into my heart.

Floods of joy o'er my soul
Like the sea billows roll
Since Jesus came into my heart.

The title of this post is the title of Pastor Keith's sermon which he introduced with a video of the Beatles' "Love, Love, Love." Then a short, romantic clip in which a young man declares his love for his lady and her response is "You had me from 'Hello.'"  The point? Love as social concern is good, but falls short. Romantic love is good, but falls short.

The scripture lesson is I John 4: 7 - 21.
Perfect love is of God, for "God is Love." The Bible is God's love letter to us. It reveals God's power, God's truth, but most of all, God's love.

14: And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
15: Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

We can have perfect love.
Perfect love is made complete in us when we love one another. "Love isn't love until you give it away."
Love one another.
Love of God and others is a commandment.

20: If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
21: And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

After church the BBBH (Beloved Beautiful Better Half) and I went to Jim Dandy for the breakfast bar. We made a sincere effort to love the Methodists and Presbyterians who were there also.

2 comments:

Vee said...

Great devotional for a Sunday.

vanilla said...

Vee, good thoughts endure the test of time.