I continue to see a thread this week that connects love and obedience. Of course, God shows love by being obedient to his own promise: to love his people with an everlasting love. God "set his heart on you, and chose you." And then God created the "holy corral" for us to dwell, with boundaries and behaviors that would enhance love with God and each other, protect this love. If we would see it that way, we chosen who would prefer to go our own way.
But in this covenant we are loved and protected by the Creator of the universe. In this covenant we are forgiven forever by the God of grace. In this covenant we are given guidance and purpose. In this covenant we are expected to live and love in response to God's saving grace that surrounds the agreement. The corral will never be broken down because of Christ, who dwells among us and around us and in us, ratifies the agreement by his blood.
We who lead and serve God in the name and power of Jesus Christ, received at our baptism, need only consider the scope and purpose of our leadership, per Paul to Titus: to bring others into a saving and loving relationship with the One True God, to teach the goodness and mercy and safety of the covenant, and to raise up others who will testify to the hope and protection we have in only God. The world needs this holy corral, for it weeps. But God came to save the world as he has promised to save us. So the world needs to hope:
5May those who sow in tears
reap with shouts of joy.
6Those who go out weeping,
bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
carrying their sheaves. (psalm 126)
1 comment:
As one who has jumped the fence and wandered around, I am exceedingly glad that the gate opened for me when I wanted back in. Inside the corral is peace, safety, joy and lasting love.
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