Love So Amazing

“May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Galatians 6:14)

I love to take pictures of crosses. It’s probably because the cross is the central symbol of the Christian faith. I take that back – it’s definitely because the cross is the central symbol of the Christian faith. Crosses are ubiquitous these days – you can see them just about anywhere, and all types. They adorn steeples and sanctuaries. They hang on walls in houses. They arise from the ground in cemeteries. They dangle from ears as earrings. 

I also find crosses in nature. In the spring, when pine branches have new growth, it often looks like a cross. 

One day I was taking a hike in a local park (the same one with the copperhead – see my devotion from April 2), I saw this sapling, and I noticed that the top of it looked just like a cross. 

Last night as I was lying in bed, I looked at the door to the bedroom, and I noticed that the panels of the door form a cross. A beautiful, symmetrical cross.

Like I said, crosses are ubiquitous – they are everywhere. 

I think that the reason I notice crosses so much is because the cross is the expression of God’s love for you and me – for the whole world. It is an enigma, really, because the cross was a gruesome instrument of torture and execution. How can it be a symbol of love? 

Because of the One who died on the cross between two criminals nearly 2000 years ago.

Again, the concept of someone dying a cruel death as an expression of love is an enigma. I get it – it is gross and repulsive to think about what happened on the cross. And yet, that is exactly what we remember and celebrate every time we gather to worship in the church. In the unfathomable mystery of God’s eternal wisdom, an instrument of death was transformed into God’s ultimate expression of love.

"For God so loved the world..."

- John 3:16 

I’m not going to get into all the hows and whys that shed light on the meaning of the cross. Millions pages have been written about the cross over the millennia, I suspect. But no explanation is as clear and concise as the explanation that Jesus gave a couple of years before his death: For God so loved the world that He gave his only-begotten Son…*

We’ve all seen the scenes in the movies or TV shows where a person says to their significant other, “I love you,” for the first time. Then there is that awkward moment in which the other looks bewildered, as if he or she doesn’t know what to say in return. Meanwhile, the one who said “I love you,” is agonizing over whether or not their declaration will be reciprocated by the other. 

The cross isn’t just God’s declaration of love for us. It is also meant to elicit a response from us. God says, “I love you. I always have, and I always will.” What God really wants from us, I believe, is for us to say, “I love you, too. I really do.”

“Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were a present far too small. Love so amazing, so divine, demands my life, my soul, my all.”  (Isaac Watts, When I Survey the Wondrous Cross)

Love so amazing, so divine, indeed.

*Nerd alert: Scholars are divided over whether Jesus said those words to Nicodemus, or if John wrote them as an aside to explain what Jesus said to Nicodemus (John, chapter 3). But my red-letter Bible has that verse in red, so I’m taking John 3:16 as Jesus’ words.

The Last Word

 “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with God’s people. Amen.” 

(Revelation 22:21, the last words of the Bible)

When we were in North Carolina, the city cemetery was about four blocks away from our house. It was more than the city cemetery – it was also the place where dozens of people took their daily walks every morning. For four years, I walked or jogged all the paved pathways winding through the cemetery. As a small-town cemetery, it had some beautiful natural features, sitting on a hill, a couple of scenic ponds, bordered by towering pine trees. I loved watching the hawk families hunt and nest in the trees, as well as the pileated woodpeckers (think Woody Woodpecker), kingbirds, bluebirds, cardinals, and a host of other birds flitting about. It was a very pleasant place to walk.

It’s an old cemetery, with many graves dating back to the early 19^th century. As time went on, I began to pay attention to the headstones and their designs. Some had inscriptions, some indicated military service, some had religious designs etched into the granite, and – thanks to modern computer-driven imaging – some had modern pictures carved into them. 

Some people will put a lot of thought into the headstone. Maybe a person told their loved ones their wishes regarding what to put on their headstone. Or maybe the headstone was designed by the survivors, as a way of honoring the deceased. Either way, headstones often convey some sort of message.

"Blessed Are the Pure in Heart"

I look at the headstone as an opportunity to speak a last word to any who pass by. Last words tend to be important. When someone knows that they are speaking their last words, they tend to focus on what is important to them. No small talk – just the stuff that really matters. 

I’m reminded that when Jesus was in the upper room with his disciples he knew that he wasn’t going to see them the next day. So he focused on what was really important – sharing the bread and the cup, and saying to them, “Do this in remembrance of me;” washing their feet, and saying, “Love one another as I have loved you;” praying aloud for them, “Father, may they be one, as you and I are one.”

When Jesus knew he only had a few hours left, he made every word matter.

If I have a headstone with my name on it, I want to make sure it conveys something that is important to me. I want my last words to speak of things that have stirred my heart with the goodness and mercy and grace of God. So – and this certainly will be no surprise for any of you who have known me for any period of time or who have been part of the churches I have served – I want my headstone to say something about love. And it has to come from the Bible, not something you found on the internet. 

I will leave the final details to my family, but here are a few suggestions:

Jesus said, “Love one another as I have loved you.” – John 15:12 (I figure if it is good enough to be among Jesus’ last words, it’s good enough for me. Besides, it’s also the verse reference that Carol and I have inscribed on our wedding rings).

“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” – Ephesians 3:17-19

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” – 1 John 4:7-8

And recognizing that whoever arranges for the headstone may have to pay by the letter, here’s one that is a bit more succinct and to the point: “And now these three remain: Faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.” – 1 Corinthians 13:13

Any of these scriptures will faithfully capture the last word I wish to speak.

When all is said and done, what will be the last word you speak?

Choose wisely, because it will be carved in stone.

Praying the Greatest Commandment

 “Of all the commandments, which is the most important one?” (Mark 12:28)

A Daily Prayer of Dedication

Good morning, God.

Today I will love you with all my heart 

   and with all my soul 

      and with all my mind 

         and with all my strength – 

not just because you have commanded me to do so,

   but also because that is the desire of my heart.

I will love you with my whole being

   because you have first loved me

      unconditionally,

      everlastingly,

      passionately,

      uniquely.

I will love you with my whole being

   because you have loved me with your whole being,

      emptying yourself of the privileges of deity

      and becoming a servant

      and offering yourself as a sacrifice for my sins.

I will love you with my whole being

   because apart from you there is no life – 

for you alone are

   the way

      and the truth

         and the life.

And so, good and loving God – 

   gracious and compassionate,

   abounding in steadfast love – 

I will love you with my whole being today.

For if I do not love you with all my heart

   and with all my soul

      and with all my mind

         and with all my strength,

then I will not truly live today the abundant life

   that you offer to me.

If I do not love you with my whole being, 

   the flowers will be less brilliant,

   the mountains will be less majestic,

   the ocean will be less impressive,

   the song of the birds will be less melodious,

   the sun will shine less brightly.

If I do not love you with my whole being today,

   then my life today will be diminished.

If I do not love you with my whole being, O Lord,

   my love for my family and

   my love for my friends and

   my love for my neighbor

      will fall short of love’s potential.

Today I will love you with all my heart

   and with all my soul

      and with all my mind

         and with all my strength,

for only then will all other things

   find their fulfillment.

And only then can I be truly alive.

Amen.

Stand Out, Stand Out for Jesus

 “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35)

Yesterday I was walking along the path adjacent to a stream behind our apartment complex (really, it’s a drainage canal, but it sounds more idyllic if I call it a stream). As I was walking, I noticed something that I hadn’t seen a week ago. The wooded areas along the path were dotted with splashes of yellow hanging from the trees and bushes. No, it wasn’t the pollen that is so ubiquitous this time of year. It was our state flower, the yellow jessamine (also called yellow jasmine or Carolina jasmine).

Carolina jasmine is a vine that quietly wraps itself around anything it can find. People love it as a decorative vine covering a lattice or fence. It spreads almost as easily as kudzu, I think. In the wild, the vine weaves itself throughout entire bushes and trees. Most of the time, you wouldn’t notice the Carolina jasmine if you were just walking by, because it blends in with the other plants. 

But then the flowers burst into bloom and suddenly the glory of the Carolina jasmine is revealed. Pine trees and wax myrtles and fences and light poles are suddenly overtaken by a sea of yellow in their midst.

It made me think about us as followers of Jesus. On most any day, I suspect that you and I blend pretty well into the broader population around us. Generally speaking, people don’t look at a crowd of people and say, “well, there’s a Christian, and there’s another one, and there are a few others…” 

What would it take for us to get noticed, in a way that gives people a glimpse into the glory and grace of Jesus? What would it take for us to stand out in the crowd in a beautiful way, like the Carolina jasmine does?

Jesus said, "A new command I give you: Love one another" (John 13:34)

Jesus gives us a hint. Actually it’s a command: “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another” he says to his disciples (that includes you and me). Then, to follow up his command, he said, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

And there you go: the way for us to stand out as followers of Jesus is for us to love one another in the same way that Jesus has loved us.

Love one another unconditionally.

Love one another by serving one another.

Love one another sacrificially.

Love one another by giving of ourselves for the other.

Love one another.

Do this, and the beauty of the One we follow and worship and serve as our Savior and Lord will be on full display.

Wouldn’t it be great if we could stand out among the people of the world in such a beautiful way?

We can. Love one another.

Gray Skies and Winter Flowers

 "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases..."  

(Lamentations 3:22)

Winter can be dreary and depressing, am I right? Most trees have lost their leaves and have become little more than naked branches against a backdrop of gray skies. The grass has gone dormant, leaving the ground a drab palette of brown shades. The chill in the air penetrates into the bones as the wind blows.

But even on the grayest, most dreary days, there are pops of color from winter flowers. Here in the south, we enjoy an extended season of daffodils, camellias, and other flowers that burst forth in bloom.

Winter flowers tell us that winter is almost over. They are a foretaste of what awaits us when spring erupts in new life.

Winter flowers bring joy in the moment, and hope for the future.

When my dear biblical friend Jeremiah scanned the landscape of Jerusalem after it had been sacked by the Babylonians and the people of Judah had been torn away from their homeland and taken into exile, Jeremiah saw nothing but devastation, destruction, and despair. He provided a journal of his own depression and dismay in the book of Lamentations. If ever there was a winter season of the soul, Jeremiah was going through it: “Remember my affliction and bitterness, the wormwood and the gall! My soul continually thinks of it and is bowed down within me.” (Lamentations 3:19-20)

And yet, in the very next breath, Jeremiah finds his own winter flower: 

“But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in him.’”

(Lamentations 3:21-24)

All of us experience winter seasons of the soul, times when despair, sorrow, and depression are what define our days. But even in the winter of the seasons of our lives, never is there a moment when God’s love and mercy are not being poured out upon us. God’s love is like that winter flower that breaks through the gray and dreary days with bursts of color. God’s love is like that winter flower that promises us winter is not going to last forever, that a renewal of our spirit lies ahead of us. 

I wouldn’t dare to minimize what anybody is experiencing during the winters of their soul. But to those who are going through such a season, I would find a way to help them see the winter flower of my faith: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, God’s mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning.

When the skies are gray and the trees are barren, and when the chill of the wind pierces you, look for the winter flowers.

So Big!

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:17b-19)

I’ve decided that there are two kinds of people in the world: those who prefer the mountains, and those who prefer the beach. Or those who prefer both. Or those who prefer neither.

I guess there are four types of people in the world.

Anyway, that’s beside the point. I am one who loves the mountains, though I also have great appreciation for the beach. One of the things that I love about both is that at the mountains and the beach one can really grasp the vastness of our planet. The giant rugged peaks piercing the sky are amazing to behold in their grandeur and majesty. The endless horizon across the ocean leaves me breathless to consider how deep and wide the water is.

Things like the grandeur of the mountains and the vast expanse of the ocean are how I feel like I should measure the magnitude of God’s love. Paul prays that we will be able to “grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,” all the while knowing that, truly, we cannot even begin to comprehend how great God’s love is. 

When I look at the 14,000 foot mountain across the valley from our family cabin in Colorado, I know that God’s love is even greater than that. 

When I look out from on high and see the sun rising well beyond the collection of peaks before me, I know that God’s love exceeds even that distance. 

When I stand on the beach with my wife and watch the sun rise over the
ocean more than 92 million miles away – that still doesn’t capture the whole measure of God’s love.

The truth be told, there is no adequate human measure for the love of God, because God’s love is infinite. Truly, God’s love surpasses knowledge.

Paul’s prayer for us – and my prayer for you – is that you will be able to experience God’s love today, because there is more love being poured upon you than you can possibly realize.

"I pray that you... know this love that surpasses knowledge"

I’ve thought of one other way to express the vast measure of God’s love. When our children were toddlers, we would ask them how big they were. And, with a bit of coaching from us, they would burst out in a smile, spread their arms clumsily out and over their heads, and they would say “Sooooo big!”

That’s God’s love: Sooooo big!

May you experience some of God’s “sooooo big” love today. 

And every day.

Living the Far Better Way

“But now I want to lay out a far better way for you.”1 Corinthians 12:31 (The Message)

On August 12 I attended a memorial service for a man who had been a mentor and a friend for me, and for my two sons – for my whole family, really. Malcolm Williams was the founder and director of Camp Country Lad in Monterey, Tennessee. Since 1962, Malcolm had dedicated his life to molding the character of boys and young men through his summer camp. 

His memorial service was held at the outdoor church of the camp – a collection of hand-hewn log benches arranged in a semi-circle facing a beautiful lake; a lone cross stands at the front of this amazing “sanctuary.” Over 300 CCL alumni and friends of Malcolm and his family attended the service, most of whom traveled several hundred miles just for the occasion.

The day was full of tears and laughter. At 82 years of age, Malcolm had lived a wonderful life, and he had a powerful impact on thousands of boys and young men through the years. Throughout the day – including at the service, around the lunch table, along the hiking trails, and around the campfire that night – people were telling stories about the personal influence Malcolm had on our lives.

I am grateful beyond words for the wisdom, love, and friendship that Malcolm shared with me and my two sons through our more than 35 summers at camp (cumulatively).

But this blog entry isn't simply about an exceptional man and role model. I came away from the weekend in Tennessee with a powerful spiritual insight reinforced in my heart.

My experiences at CCL, and my recollection of Malcolm Williams, brought to mind for me the fact that the New Testament contains a vast collection of lists – lists that lay out for us how we should live and what life should look like for followers of Jesus Christ.

Jesus shared such a list in his famous “Beatitudes” of Matthew 5:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 

Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. 

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God...(Matthew 5:3-9)

You find similar lists in Paul's writings, such as in Galatians 5, where Paul describes the fruit of the Spirit as “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

Or in one of Paul's most-quoted passages, where he describes what love looks like:

Love never gives up. 

Love cares more for others than for self. 

Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have. 

Love doesn’t strut, 

Doesn’t have a swelled head, 

Doesn’t force itself on others, 

Isn’t always “me first,” 

Doesn’t fly off the handle, 

Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, 

Doesn’t revel when others grovel, 

Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, 

Puts up with anything, 

Trusts God always, 

Always looks for the best, 

Never looks back, 

But keeps going to the end. 

Love never dies... 

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (The Message)

There are other lists with similar exemplary character traits for which we should strive in our lives. The point of all these lists, I believe, is to paint a picture of what it looks like to grow and live into Christlikeness. We are, after all, a new creation in Christ; it only makes sense that life in Christ looks different than life without Christ. To conform our lives to the traits enumerated in these lists is, in a very real way, to show the world what Jesus Christ is like.

Even more than the words we say about Jesus, the way we live as his followers helps people understand and experience Jesus and his infinite, eternal love for us.

While I hope we all strive for these Christlike traits for our lives, every once in a while you come across a person who manifests Christlikeness with grace and humility. Malcolm Williams was one of those people. He embodied the character of the person described by the beatitudes; he exhibited the fruit of the Spirit in its completeness; and by the way he related to others he fulfilled the definition of love.

Malcolm would be the first person to tell me to stop describing him like this. Because he was humble to the core. And it was never about him. It was about Jesus, who loved Malcolm with an everlasting love, and whom Malcolm loved with his whole being.

And ultimately that's what it's all about. It's about letting the love of Jesus Christ fill our hearts and inform our lives. It's about living in such a way that when people see us, they get a glimpse into the One who has saved us and who has made us who we are: Jesus Christ.

So here's what all of us should do. We should look at those lists, and ask, “Does that describe me?” When Paul tells us that love is patient, kind, not envious or boastful, etc., is Paul describing me?

Because if those traits describe us, then it means that Jesus is shining through.

Think of the people who are the Malcolm Williamses of your life – people who have been your spiritual mentors, or people whose lives make you want to be a better person. Take your cue from them, to live your whole life making Jesus known.

I want to share a poem that was on the back of the bulletin for Malcolm's memorial service. It speaks to the importance of living the exemplary life, because others are watching. It makes me ask myself, when people see my life, am I comfortable with them following in my steps?

I hope so. 

For Christ's sake, I hope so.

A careful man I want to be;

A little fellow follows me.

I do not dare to go astray

For fear he'll go the self-same way.

I cannot once escape his eyes,

Whatever he sees me do, he tries.

Like me he says he's going to be;

this little Lad who follows me.

He thinks that I'm so very fine,

Believes in every word of mine.

The base in me he must not see;

this little Lad who follows me.

I must remember as I go

Through summer's sun and winter snow,

I'm building for the years to be;

The little Lad who follows me.

Relationship Goals

Love never fails...(1 Corinthians 13:14)

Last month I had a really cool opportunity. One of our church members is the activities director at a nearby retirement community, and she asked if I would officiate a vow renewal ceremony. Five couples assembled in a lovely courtyard in front of a fountain, as about 25 family members and other residents gathered to witness the renewal of their marriage vows.

Before the ceremony, the couples gathered in the hallway leading to the courtyard. Even though they had all been married well over 50 years, they were giddy with excitement as they processed to the fountain. When we reached the part of the ceremony where they renewed their vows, I went to each couple individually, had them look each other in the eye and repeat after me:

I, (Fred, etc.), embrace you, (Diana, etc.), as a gift from the hand of God;

and I reaffirm my promise,

before God and these witnesses,

to be your loving and faithful husband (wife);

in plenty and in want,

in joy and in sorrow,

in sickness and in health,

so long as we both shall live.

It was a beautiful thing to see grown men and women choke up and their eyes well up with tears, even after 50, 60, or more years of marriage. What a joyful evening it was! Of course, it was over at 7:30 – can't let something like a vow renewal ceremony make them late for bed...

I left the evening uplifted, encouraged, and hopeful. I thought to myself, “I want Carol and me to be that way in our 80s.”

Later on realized that I didn't need to attend a vow renewal like that in order for me to be inspired; I have my own parents and Carol's parents to serve as wonderful “relationship goals” for our marriage. In fact, as I post this on my blog, it is my parents' 60^th anniversary.

Happy Anniversary, 

Sidney and Kaye!

60 years. What an amazing example of steadfast, persevering love. 

Carol's parents are about to celebrate 62 years of marriage.

I am, truly, inspired.

As I think about the secret to longevity in marriage, my mind immediately focuses on love. (If you know me, you will know that love is pretty much the secret to everything!) But the kind of love that will fuel a marriage through the years is more than a warm, mushy feeling inside you. The kind of love that marriage requires that self-interest diminish, and the welfare of the other increase. Paul describes this kind of love in his words found in 1 Corinthians 13:

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in truth. Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails...

I think about the people who have been married for so many years (like my parents, Carol's parents, and the folks at the retirement community). I realize that they have gone through seasons of great happiness; but they have also faced tremendous challenges together that were anything but happy. They have had to forgive, and ask for forgiveness. They have been rich, poor, sick, and healthy. They have made sacrifices for their spouse and family.

And through it all, love. In Colossians, Paul lists a number of noble character traits that followers of Christ should manifest in our lives. You know, things like compassion, kindness, gentleness, humility, forgiveness, patience. Words that most of us would want to be used in describing ourselves. After listing these noble character traits, Paul says this: “And over all these virtues, put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” (Colossians 3:14)

All this, to say that if we want to reach relationship goals like my parents, we have to love. I am forever grateful to my parents for demonstrating this to me, every day.

Love. It really is that simple.

Not easy. But simple. And mandatory.

Now these three remain: Faith, hope, and love.

And the greatest of these, is love.*

*Paul's words, not mine. But I wholeheartedly agree with Paul on this one!