Reloveolution

It is time for a Reloveolution. No that is not a typo. I am talking about revolution of love! I recently saw a picture of Jesus Christ with the word Revolution and the second to fifth letters after the R were highlighted. It turns out its love backwards: R - evol - ution. I thought this was quite profound, but decided to simplify it to Reloveolution so that love would be prominate .

St. Paul said, "peace, love, and joy. But the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:13). Love is the center of the Gospel message: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Begotten Son, Jesus, and who ever believes in Him (the Son) shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16). Love is definitive difference between Jesus Christ and all the pantheons of pagan gods. Gods' love is made manifest in the Christ Crucified. For there on the cross the Lord reached out to all man and womankind.

I heard a song today that was from Jesus to his followers, the chorus went like this, "You want to know I love you, look at the holes in my hands and the hole in my side." I love this because it is exactly what Jesus said to doubting Thomas, "come and place your hand here," and I would add "know that I am God and that you are loved." Love is embodied in the crucifixion and that is why our hearts yearn to be reminded of the scene. For myself Good Friday is not sufficient, I daily want to be remaindered that God loves me and that is most manifest in the Crucifixion or Christ on the Cross.

I discovered a book with a revolutionary idea. The book is "Jesus The Bridegroom" by Brant Pitre. Pitre points out that in Exodus 24, the Almighty came down to the Israelites at Sinai and ate with them. The next time the Lord did this was at the Last Supper and He will do it again at the Wedding Supper of the Lamb. The author of the book illustrates in brilliant prose, "The Greatest love story ever told," and "the marriage between the Creator and Creature (Creation)." This love and marriage that began in Eden, will last through the End of Days, will continue into Eternity, and be on the New Earth!

It is time for Reloveoution! To re-love the Lord; that is to rediscover our love for Jesus, and rediscover His love for us! Too many churches are as Neil Anderson says, "pointing out sin and using negative reinforcement or pointing out blessing, and getting people to do things from positive reinforcement." The whole thing as Neil says is a system short of the Savior. We should be serving the Lord because we Know He loves us and We love Him! Love is the key! Then once this love is rekindled, we are to take it to our neighbor! (Mark 12:31). There are plenty of people out there that need to know God loves them and need the love of a fellow human being. But the only way we can show love to the "least of these," (Matthew 25:40), is if we are in love with the "He who is Greater than any in the World." (1 John 4:4).

So join the Reloveolution! Rekindle that love that may be cold!; "return to your first love." (Revelation 2:4-5). Jesus Christ is our Lord, but also our friend (John 15:15) and our Bridegroom! (John 3:29, Matthew 25). Our relationship with our savior is suppose to be like a good marriage! In a great marriage, the spouses tell each other everything, depend on each other, show their love for one another, trust each other, and are honest about how they feel, think, and open about their wants, wishes, and needs. This is how we are suppose to be with Christ! Stop praying what you think He wants to hear! He can already see your heart and reads your thoughts (Jeremiah 17:10, Luke 16:15, Revelation 2:23, Psalm 44:21,). But our Lord and Bridegroom wants to hear it from you! He doesn't supersede our will or control us, this is a relationship and so there is a give and take, and Jesus gave us His very life! He gave us eternal life! He gave us the ability to be close to God/Him (Jesus), The Father, and Holy Spirit! Jesus continues to give to us his bride! But too many have let their relationship or marriage with the Messiah get into a bind, and now the lines of communication are quiet. The time has come for counseling under the Wonderful Counselor (Holy Spirit) and to reconnect! Jesus didn't go anywhere and He did nothing to harm the marriage, that is the doing of us his bride! Time to return to Jesus Christ The Bridegroom and recite our vows! It is time to say, "I will forsake all others (wedding vow): I will have no other gods but you. (First Commandment/First Vow of Commitment)."

I realize that is comes just in time for Valentine's Day. What if instead of only getting chocolates and flowers for our significant others, that we show love to the Most Significant Other (Jesus Christ)! What better way than to celebrate the holiday of love by starting a Reloveolution! People like hearing, "I love you." Well so does God! So in addition to your plans to take our your spouse or date to dinner, take some time to let Jesus know you Love Him! For those singles, you have it even better! Make the entire holiday about Christ and spend it in His presence and talk to the Lord! I have another post on Valentine Day I am saving for February that will expound on this, so until then stoke the fires of the Reloveolution!