Love out Lout (LOL)

Once a quarter, my wife and I go on a date. We go on dates regularly however our once a quarter dates are VERY different. On this date over dinner or during our conversational portion of the date we construct a safe space. In this safe space of communication, we check in with one another. We ask how each other are doing in our multi faceted positions. How we are as parents, employees, or employers, how we are as leaders, how we are as adult children to our parents and lastly how we are as a husband and wife. Once we gauge each other’s temperatures (spiritually, emotionally, and physically) we ask how we can be better for one another, as well as how we are currently fairing. During one check in about a year ago, Allyson said something that gave a little badge of honor and has never left me since she said it. She looked at me and said “You love me loudly”.

This statement, though naturally seems physical was predominantly not. She’d mention my physical actions, but highlighted, my ability to listen, my ability to see, my ability to learn, adapt and every operate so proactively that there were new things that had begin to take place in our marriage that she didn’t know she wanted or needed until she had received them. Did I buy gifts, yes but I created experiences, did I listen good, yes but I also created safe spaces for her feelings, did I allow her to walk in her career and passion, yes but I affirmed the gifts and talents that made the work possible. I had a streak of behaviors that were so comforting and loving and elevating that her natural coexistence with me had now had a super element.

Not only was her natural met with a super element, but it was now evident to others. Not by a social media post, not by a boastful phone conversation with a close friend or family member. Yet in the fruit of her life was my love made evident towards her.

In his letter to the church of Corinth, the Apostle Paul had taken a turn between chapters 12 and 13. In Chapter 12 he delivers to the church the gifts of the Holy Spirit. He reveals to them what can be done with him and what cannot exist or be done without him. To the church he is revealing out they are identified by God. Remember it is the Holy spirit who by being God’s new way of anointing, reveals who is chosen by God to be apart of his kingdom and furthermore chosen to do his will. Paul Says that no one with the Holy spirit will call Jesus accursed, as well as no man can even say the “Jesus is Lord” (1 Co 12: 3).

1 Corinthians 12:3 NASB 2020

Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is accursed”; and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

Here we further cement our our ever growing knowledge of our (the church’s) connection to God through Jesus. If God is a father who sends his son out for a companion or a wife. How does the son who is the groom claim his bride.

First he proposes to her, he makes his interest in her known and certain and then we proposes marriage to her and if she accepts she wears a an engagement ring. This ring is symbol of his request and her acceptance and thereby the proof of their eventual consummation and her now authorization to be grafted into and accepted into the family. (The blood)

Once the proposal is accepted the Father must be able to identify the assumed bride so that he may be able to familiarize himself with his new family member. (The holy spirit)

Finally once the father has given his son the approval and is now familiar with the bride to be. she now has a responsibility to her intended groom and new family to represent the family to those not in the family. In other words she must be recognized by the world that she in fact is in the family. His (jesus) and his father’s (God) connection to the bride must be visibly, know and understood. (Love)

Love and the Church?

Here we are a church, a body, full of Christians, or also known as followers of Christ. We can plead the blood which is equal to showing off our engagement ring. We can preach a word, we can give wisdom, heal , perform miracles, speak & interpret tongues, increase faith, give wise counsel, and say all of the pre supposed lines, which is our equal to identifying our elect status. So Jesus has saved us and God can see and identify us, yet the world hast no idea who we are. We are hidden giants, we are quiet sirens, we are voiceless prophets, and empty vases. We are cars without paint jobs, we are paintings with no color, we are songs without music, we are motion pictures without actors. We are walking around and representing God without his glory, his beauty his splendor, his magnificence, his true essence. We are a collection of people with fancy titles, and functions and it’s because the world can’t see us the way God intended us to be seen by them. We dress our children a certain way because we want them to be seen in a certain way, and we want them seen in a certain way because we know others will pass a thought on them and when a though about our child has entered into the mind of another, we are understanding that the thought that has passed will either credit or condemn us as parents. So if we are concerned with how are children are representing us, would it not concern God how his children are representing him? Not that God is overly concerned by the thoughts of others to the point of change, no that challenges his impassibility, however, God is concerned that his children not only look like him at home but look like him in all facets. If it were not so he would not have Created us in his image and in his likeness.

So what is the image and the likeness of God look like? It looks like love. Paul now at pivotal point of gifts and love says to the church (1 Corinthians 13:1–3 )

1 Corinthians 13:1–3 NASB 2020

If I speak with the tongues of mankind and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give away all my possessions to charity, and if I surrender my body so that I may glory, but do not have love, it does me no good.

What good is it for me to have access and not be allowed in at the appointed time, and what good is it for me to be chosen only to forfeit my election? A church without love is not a church. If we want our identity we must be identifiable not only by God but by the world. We must be ale to be seen by him and recognized by the world. We are not to brag about being the church but we are not love out loud. So what does that mean? Our love has to be matured and perfected. Not just in and around and for ourselves but in and around and for others. It is this love that if we add to our essence and our beings at core we can make change, we can grab communities and disrupt societal issues, and disciple lost family members.

The church must reclaim it’s identity and it’s identity must, reflect the LOVE of God.

John 3:16 KJV 1900

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

1 John 4:7–21 KJV 1900

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us. 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? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.