Unashamed Love
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7
When Pastor Liz started her message on Sunday morning, I wasn’t sure what she was going to say about unashamed love. She had my full attention. What could that possibly mean? Who gives it and who gets it? I immediately started trying to construct my own definition.
Could it be the kind of love that I am supposed to have when I think about Jesus and share Him with others?
Is it the kind of love for others that lets me love them regardless of how unlovable they are at times?
How about the kind of love I feel when I think about living here in America?
Maybe it’s the love I have for myself that lets me be real with other people!
She told us about the peace we’d feel with that kind of love. Unashamed love. I still didn’t have a handle on it. I know about the peace because I’ve experienced it first-hand. The world can be falling apart, we’ve lost a loved one or pet, we’ve lost a job, relationship, our health, or home. Somehow from the depths of our being, His Spirit tells us “Rejoice in Me always; again I say rejoice! …Be anxious for nothing.” When we hear and trust that voice, there comes a calm, a peace that cannot be defined. It is what it is!
Why do we exhaust ourselves by trying to be something we were never intended to be? We cannot be everything to everybody—and yet we try so hard. This kind of love requires trust, vulnerability, humility, and action! There are many more ingredients that you can add.
When we think of Jesus, do we get an energized twinge of excitement? If someone needs to hear about what Jesus has done for us, do we get a twinge of panic?
He was not ashamed to hang on the cross and be humiliated and tortured. Maybe reflecting on that is the love we need to experience.
Loving Lord, thank You for the example You have set, for Your living Word and Your love for each of us. You are worthy of our praise today and forever. AMEN.
Mo Johnston/Rev. Elizabeth Jackson