I sit here in the silence. It’s silence of one hears silence. If I listen I hear birds, geese, frogs, kids laughing on the lake and water. I sit here looking at life. I see a paddle board with two people on it moving slowly across the lake, two boys in a paddle boat pulling in crappies, I see the canoes flipped upside down, the birds flirting to and fro and the tree where the beaver is chewing. I also see John 15. That’s where the Bible is open to. It’s the abiding chapter. The sit on the patio in an Adirondack chair and think about what God means by resting chapter. It’s the chapter that reminds us without roots delivering the nutrients to the tree limbs the leaves don’t unfold and grow. And after all that abiding talk and resting and letting God feed your heart and grow your soul he throws verse 12 in. Love as I have loved you. It would not be so bad if John has used a different example. But Jesus said love like he loves. How about I love like Sam, or Ellen or Jared? They have faults like me and tire out too. How about giving me a comparison to love that makes me feel like I have the chance of doing ok. No, I get the Jesus loving example. Sometimes it makes me hurt just thinking about it. Love hurts isn’t just some lyrics in an old rock song. For those of you who never heard of the song or the Everly Brothers, google it! Living like Jesus said and loving people just hurts sometimes. Which is why we need to be connected to the vine! The Vine/Jesus has not only the ability to keep our focus and our loveometer going but somehow Jesus has a way of drying tears without sopping the handkerchiefs. The key verse is actually before he talks about the loving people in verse 11. So your joy May be full! Fill up your joy tank and loving comes easier. I am not sure I believe that 100% but I am trying.
Special Touch Ministry 