Written 4 November 2009, part 2 of 2. See the previous post for part 1:

One might assume from the following note that I think we greatly lack in our love for one another. I did not intend to imply that at all. My desire is that we continue to grow and stretch our faith through loving others.

And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. And a second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” Matthew 22:37-39 NASB

Last week I wrote about how the first part of this verse is the first part of my vision (or my desire) for how each woman in our fellowship would love God and desire Him with their entire being. This week I want to write about the second part—the part about loving our neighbor as ourselves.

This past summer, we touched on the theme of hospitality and being welcoming toward strangers—those who are different from us, or those who are new to us. I see our PWOC becoming even more welcoming, becoming even more a place of refuge for those who have been buffeted by difficult circumstances or who have wandered away from God. Especially in our small groups, women will feel as if there is no need for a mask. They will feel able to share more of who they are because they know they will be accepted. That does not mean that we should consider sin acceptable. God hates sin, and we cannot encourage or condone it. But since we are all sinners, we can come alongside another woman and exhort, encourage, and comfort.

We are weak, but He is strong. We need to admit our weaknesses to one another. We do not need to pretend to be strong. God is our strength, and His strength is perfected in our weaknesses. How can we give glory to Him for working through our weaknesses if we pretend to be strong? We are free to be vulnerable, because we know that we are in God’s hands, and that those around us will love us as they love themselves. When we need help, we will ask for it, and accept the help from those who desire to help us, for that is also an aspect of being a good neighbor.

And when conflict arises, or people do not respond to us as they should, we will be quick to forgive, for we have been forgiven much. Hurt feelings will be released into God’s hands, because He tenderly cares for us. If we have wronged another, we will be quick to ask for forgiveness. We will seek to be patient with one another in love, and work to preserve the unity of the Spirit (Eph. 4:1-3). We will not give anger a long leash or a long life. We will not allow any root of bitterness to take hold, and so we will spoil the enemy’s chance to gain a foothold within our fellowship (Eph. 4:26-27; Heb. 12:14-15)

We will love one another deeply and welcome strangers warmly. By His grace and in His strength it will be so.

This was written 27 October 2009. I debated whether to post this one. I decided to go ahead and post it, since my desire for the women in my local PWOC group is still the same, even though I am no longer president:

Back near the beginning of September, I attended Presidents’ Weekend for the Northeast Region of PWOC. During that weekend, one of the speakers mentioned the importance of having a vision as a leader.

I worked in the corporate world for five years before marrying into the Army, and when the company came up with a new “vision statement” I would usually roll my eyes (at least mentally) and get back to work. The vision meant nothing to me at my level. Sometimes they would ask us to come up with a vision statement for our work group, which always turned out to be so generic and full of feel-good corporate speak, that it also held no meaning for me. So, it was difficult for me to resist the impulse to (at least mentally) roll my eyes when Shellie Kelly spelled out the importance of vision in leadership on a PowerPoint slide.

Of course, I respect Shelly, and the concept of vision really is biblical. Proverbs 29:12 says, “For lack of vision, the people will perish.” The difference between making up a “vision statement” to fulfill the desires of some higher ups and the biblical concept of vision is immense--a biblical vision is God-given. You don’t have to make something up.

I’m sorry that I haven’t come up with a concise vision statement that you can all memorize. But I don’t need to, because God already has, and you can memorize this:

And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. And a second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” Matthew 22:37-39 NASB

This week I want to write about my desire, or vision, for our fellowship of women in relationship to the first of these two greatest commandments.

I want to be completely sold out for God. I don’t particularly like the phrase, “sold out” but nothing else has the emotional impact for me of those words. I want every fiber of my being, every ounce of who I am to love Him first above all else. My vision for the women in our PWOC group is that we all move toward this ideal. Obviously, we often falter. We allow other desires to crowd out what should be our ultimate desire for fellowship with God. That is what we have been created for.

But we can move in that direction, offering ourselves as a living sacrifice more often and more willingly. It is my prayer that by the end of this year, every single woman will have moved further along in loving God with all of their being; that we would become a body that is more and more sold out for God.

By God’s Grace, and through the strength of His Spirit, we will.

Written 20 October 2009:

A couple of years ago at (what was then called) Traveling Training, I was struck by I Peter 4:8: “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins.” (NIV) Ever since, I have often thought of the phrase, “love each other deeply.” Those of us who move a lot know how difficult this can be, as CH Carter mentioned in one of his recent sermons. It is painful to leave behind those to whom we feel close. And when we love each other deeply, we will become close.

Loving others deeply involves taking on their burdens, lifting them up in prayer, exhorting them, encouraging them, coming alongside them, and comforting them. We will be emotionally affected when we do this. We will rejoice with those who rejoice, but we will also weep with those who weep. How are we able to comfort those who need comfort? How are we able to keep extending ourselves when it becomes emotionally stretching? Who will comfort us?

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. 2 Cor. 1:3-5 (NASB)

These are some of the verses I read in my quiet time this morning:

Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned. Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure--pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return. Luke 6:36-8 (NASB)

The principle of reaping what you sow occurs many places in the Bible. But in these verses, Jesus is saying you will get back more than what you give out. The measurement of how much you give out is like how you might measure flour for a recipe. You spoon it into the cup, and level it off. But what you get back is much more, since it has been shaken, pressed down, and heaped up until it runs over the edge—SO much more than what you give out.

We have been promised that if we extend ourselves to others by loving each other deeply, if we freely give of ourselves, we will receive back much more than what we have given out. Our Father is the God of all comfort and mercy—He empowers us to love and comfort others, and we are safe in His hands.

Written October 14th, 2009:

There has been a definite theme developing in these notes over the last several weeks. One of the notes was about how we are helpless and desperately need God to cleanse us of the leprosy of sin. Another was how we must see our need for a Savior before we can answer His call. Even our “guest writer,” Jerry Bridges, wrote about how we are “Desperately Dependant” on the Holy Spirit, even needing Him to enable us to do the work that is our part.

Today, one of the verses I looked at was Luke 6:20: “And turning His gaze on His disciples, He began to say, ‘Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.’” The cross referenced verse was Matthew 5:3, which says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit…” One of the commentaries said:

“All mankind are spiritually poor; they have nothing to eat that is fit and proper; nor any clothes to wear, but rags; nor are they able to purchase either; they have no money to buy with; they are in debt, owe ten thousand talents, and have nothing to pay; and in such a condition, that they are not able to help themselves. The greater part of mankind are insensible of this their condition; …there are some who are sensible of it, who see their poverty and want, …are humbled for it, and are broken under a sense of it; …and frankly acknowledge, that all they have, or hope to have, is owing to the free grace of God.”*

More of the same. Why do I keep getting the same message over and over again? Perhaps because of these verses:

…clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. (I Peter 5:5b-7)

Did you catch that? God “opposes” the proud. He is actively opposed to those who will not humble themselves. I don’t know about you, but I do not want to have God actively opposing me!

I have been reading a small book called Humility: True Greatness**. In it the author gives this definition of humility: “Humility is honestly assessing ourselves in light of God’s holiness and our sinfulness.”

That’s why I keep hearing the same message! When we understand the depth of our need, our inability to help ourselves, our sinfulness alongside God’s holiness—when we keep these things in mind all while we rejoice in the saving grace and love of Jesus, we will avoid being quite so proud all the time, and will begin to humble ourselves. We won’t need to compare or compete with one another to feel better about ourselves. We will be secure under God’s hand, because He cares for us.

*From John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible by Dr. John Gill (1690-1771)

**Humility: True Greatness by C. J. Mahaney—I highly recommend this little book!

I don’t come from a background that observed Lent. As we enter the Lenten season, I have been learning more about Lent and pondering what this time should mean to me. If I understand the reason for Lent, it is to prepare ourselves for the Easter observance of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. It is traditional to give up something as part of this preparation.

Many people give up something that might have an unhealthy hold on their lives. Of course, we should always be sensitive to the conviction of the Holy Spirit concerning things that might control us. If something is given up as a kind of fast, then one purpose is to humble ourselves before God, acknowledging our dependence on Him. When we miss the thing we are giving up, and are tempted to give in to our desire or need for it, we can use that as a cue to come to God in prayer.

Since I have been watching the Winter Olympic Games in the last few days, I am reminded of these words, written by Paul in I Cor. 9:25-27:

Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified. (NASB)

Self control is a fruit of the Spirit. If we are doing these things to prove our worthiness in some way, instead of acknowledging our dependence upon Him, then we have crossed over into pride. Our self denial will give us no lasting advantage. Paul cautions us about following the forms of religion in Col. 2:23: “These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.” The very next verses in Colossians shows us what our focus ought to be:

“Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” (Col. 3:1-3)

As we consider what God may be asking us to give up (if anything), let us make it our aim during Lent to not just follow a form of religion, but to more fully seek His presence in our daily lives. Jesus said, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23) Let us follow Him with the tenacity of an athlete seeking the gold medal.

“…let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross….” (Heb. 12:1b-2a)