Category: love

“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:6-8

“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other.” John 15:12-16

As we remember the brave ones who risked all to rescue the perishing, so let us remember the perfect One who gave all to save us.

First, I’ll share that we got a great report from the hospital regarding the tests that were done last week. There is still no sign of cancer in my blood or bone marrow and I thank God!

As I share such good news about myself, my heart breaks for close friends that are fighting cancer or facing other trials. We probably all have friends that are suffering. We wish we could help some way. We wish we could do something. We know we can pray and we believe God hears us, but there is often a helplessness we feel as we see friends struggle.

The thing we know we can do is love. The Lord instructs us to love fervently from the heart. Let us be creative in our love for one another. Ask yourself what would bless you if you were in the shoes of your friend… then bless your friend that way. As I lay sick last year, I knew there was nothing any person could really do outside of prayer. But how my spirits were lifted when someone showed love to me or my family! The thing I most needed was God… and I saw God through the love of His children.

The other thing we can do is trust the Lord. He has blessed my family through the whole time of difficulty. He has brought about good things that never would have happened apart from the trial. Our close friends, Joe and Sybil, have communicated supernatural peace and joy as they are in the midst of the fire. How can this be? No one wants to suffer, but we can trust that God is greater than any hardship. Though we may feel the enemy is destroying us, God can reverse the tables and turn our trials to gold.

Now our dear friends, Perry and Suzette Price, are entering a similar battle. Suzette has recently discovered she has breast cancer and will have surgery next week. As I have just gotten a good report and Suzette has received such difficult news, guess who is encouraging who? She sent me a note this week that reminds us all of our hope. Let us praise the Hands that carry us through!

May the HANDS that formed the earth touch your body and heal it… May the BREATH that moved over the waters fill your soul with life… May the HEART that sacrificed to save you surround your heart with comfort… May knowing that you are in the Hands of an all powerful, all loving God bring you peace.

“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” Isaiah 40:29

There was a time when these were my sources of motivation: a win, an award, a paycheck, someone’s approval… but now I see things quite differently. When you are told, ‘Time is short’, a unique focus appears.

But it should not take a fiery trial to bring such focus. Through His spokesmen, God has given us the message He wants us to accept. While such revelation may produce urgency within our minds, the Lord councils us to be patient, steadfast, and constant in prayer. “Be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.”(James 5:8) “The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.” (I Peter 4:7) “Dear children, this is the last hour…” (I John 2:18)

After several months of experience, I can tell you that even the revelation that ‘time is short’ is not enough motivation to live the life God calls us to live. A hectic pace, life’s worries, riches, and pleasures can dull any renewed focus. So what does have the power to motivate us? Paul wrote: “Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” (II Corinthians 5:14-15)

If we embrace God’s radical love we will end up loving Him with all of our hearts… and that will lead to radical obedience. Jesus knows what His disciples need to live the life God desires. And the Father gives us what we need! Listen to Jesus’ words and take great hope!

“If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever – the Spirit of truth… If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him… All this I have spoken while with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you…” (John 14:15-27)

I really appreciate the faith I witnessed in so many who visited me or prayed for me last year. I am convinced these prayers continue to play a huge role in my health today. I also appreciate the hope expressed by many, many friends. The hope of others often lifted my spirits and helped me through a difficult day.

By far, though, the thing I appreciate most is love. At times, we may get a little confused about what is most important, but we should remember that “love never fails”. God’s love is demonstrated in a wide variety of ways, but it is easily recognized. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

One of the greatest sufferers of all time had some friends that teach us much. These friends really did hope Job would get well. I think they suffered as they watched him suffer. These guys also had a faith in God. They talked about Him constantly and seemed to be quite knowledgeable. The problem was they didn’t know God as well as they thought they did. They were also unaware of a confrontation in Heaven between the Creator and Satan. If you read the book of Job you might conclude that Job’s friends were long on words and theories, but short on love.

Many years later, the apostle Paul implied that if Job’s friends had understood all mysteries and possessed all knowledge, but failed to love, they were nothing. Even if they had a faith that was able to heal their hurting friend, but had no love, they were nothing. As we serve our fellow man, let us always remember what is greatest in our Father’s sight. It is what He pours out so abundantly to us.

“And now these three remain: faith, hope, love. But the greatest of these is love.” I Corinthians 13:13

One of the great blessings in my sickness has been to see the Body of Christ as I have never seen it before. Many of you are among those who wrote notes, sent cards, gave gifts, prayed, and poured out the love of God to a hurting family. I cannot describe the encouragement I received from the Body of Christ and I cannot describe the beauty I saw in God’s people. Christians from Atlanta, where I live, from Chattanooga, where I grew up, and from many other places prayed for us and helped us. Christians from Brazil and West Africa and South Africa and Russia and Mexico and Europe and Jerusalem prayed for me to recover. Friends I grew up with, people that taught me, students I have taught, players I have coached, parents of students and players, people I have gone to church with, fellow workers, children, and some people I don’t even know prayed for me and loved my family in incredible ways. I am sure not worthy of such love.

One day, if God will help me understand it, I may try to write about the power of prayer, but today I want to share something about the Body of Christ. Much debate has taken place over the years about who makes up this Body. There’s really a pretty simple answer. The Body of Christ is made up of the friends of Jesus who have put true faith in Him. Jesus revealed through parables the separation that would come at the end of the age (see Matthew 13:24-43), but that’s not our job. “The Lord knows those who are His.” Our job is to love one another. It is this love that I witnessed in the Body of Christ.

Now it is true that if all those Christians who prayed for me were put in the same church building and told to worship together, disagreements might surface. But here’s something I believe to be true: If my hospital bed had been moved to the center of a large gym and all these friends had come to visit me at the same time, I don’t believe there would have been a single argument. What friend of mine, standing next to a dying man, would want to argue with another friend of mine?

Perhaps this illustrates a bit of the wisdom of our Father. If the children would just gather at the Cross, where would be the division? What friend of Jesus, standing next to the Cross, wants to argue with another friend of Jesus? At the Cross we’re all the same. We know we’re the ones that put Him there, yet He shed His blood for each of us. We’re sure not worthy, but He calls us friends.

“I no longer call you servants, for a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” John 15:15 “…that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” John 17:21