by leaps and bounds

‘I am the Lord, and I do not change. And so you, the descendants of Jacob, are not yet completely lost.’  Malachi 3.6 GNBDC

‘Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and for ever.’  Hebrews 13.8 GNBDC

Holy Spirit, guide my fingers because You have a chaos of words fluttering about in my mind this morning. Help me to make sense of the words that you are wanting me to share. Thank you and amen.

In today’s times, Christians are so adamant to spread the message that Jesus loves everyone, that over time that message has sadly become one that is being misconstrued to check everyone’s boxes, and to allow everyone’s behaviors to go “as is”. Somewhere along the lines the terms, “love” and “acceptance” have become intertwined, and it seems that many have forgotten that to love doesn’t just (only) mean to cater too or accept a person and/or their behavior(s). And it’s unfortunate at how many people within the church purposely focus on the character traits portrayed of Jesus (kind, loving, accepting) while forgoing and seemingly forgetting that God while being a loving and caring one, was notorious for being quick tempered, jealous, even vengeful at times. I mean how can we forget that while we all patiently wait for Jesus to return to us, it’s not exactly on good terms or why He’s meant to be coming back? If we were to love everyone just as they are, why would there need to be a revival, or why would God be coming back to punish those who have sinned (again) against Him?

A few things that are consistently preached/taught are that God is the same today that He was yesterday, that He loves us and we are to love Him with all of our heart, soul, mind and body. We call Him our Father, our Abba because He does love and provide for us in a way that only a good Father would. But yet we cringe at the thought of being reprimanded by Him? Odd.

‘He who withholds the rod [of discipline] hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines and trains him diligently and appropriately [with wisdom and love].’ Proverbs 13.24 AMP

We need to look deeper into the meaning and context of the word “love”. If we all were to be honest, and if we took a good, hard and honest look around us, we could plainly see that the world’s mindset circling around the true meaning of love has shifted and changed greatly over the years. It truly and honestly does not mean what it once did, nor does it hold the value or importance that it once held. Love is more than just a word that we mutter, it’s a verb. An action that we must actively make, and it can take on many forms. And again, somewhere along the lines we have become so conditioned within the church and Christian community to believe and pass on that “to love like Jesus” means that we not only have to accept everyone and everything, but we also must not correct or judge another for the behaviors that they continue to partake in. I often wonder how often God sits in Heaven, scratching His beautiful head saying, “I never said that!”

If we were to sit and truly reflect on what the Word teaches us through the Gospel, and not eliminate the uncomfortable parts to make ourselves feel better, I think we could agree that Jesus’ and God’s love both were extended in ways that encompassed a deeper meaning than just “acceptance”. Honestly, I think it was most oftentimes portrayed as anything but acceptance, but we have somehow rewritten it to be that way. Just because Jesus sat with the sinners doesn’t mean He accepted them. And just because God chose the sinner doesn’t mean He accepted them. They chose them knowing that there was an inner being that would succumb to the Spirit and become who they were meant to be.

At other times their love was shown as being brotherly, other times fatherly, and other times as their leader/Rabbi/pastor. And sometimes it was just portrayed as a friendly love being shown. There were characteristic trademarks of each kind through each story within the Bible and only a fool would ignore them or try to lump them as a whole one summary kind of love. 

For the sake of this though, we are going to focus on what it would be to love how Jesus had loved us. And to start, I believe that if we were to truly love like Jesus loved (us), there is a whole slew of us that would need to learn the real meaning of “sacrifice”. Because I promise you it doesn’t mean taking an hour and a half out every Sunday for church and that’s it. Jesus is and always will be the reigning example on what sacrifice in the name of love would look like.

‘No one has greater love [nor stronger commitment] than to lay down his own life for his friends.’ John 15.13AMP 

Love that was displayed from Jesus showed more depth and held more intent and was more direct. There was purpose behind the acts of the love that He performed. Each held a lesson, a step in His journey, in His disciples’ journeys and in the history of all mankind. It was the love of Jesus that offered redemption for each of us, and if only we could grasp just how deep that love runs still to this very day. Maybe then people would take this whole Jesus business a little more serious?

If we were to truly love like Jesus, we would have to learn to love like Him. Because He loved in a way that was unbridled and unselfish. He loved in ways that the majority would struggle with today because it takes putting others ahead of your own self. It was always about the greater picture and the greater good for Him. (Romans 8.28)

He loved enough to teach, to minister, to raise up disciples and to spread the Gospel and the Word of His Father so that we all could be rescued and saved. He knew the persecution He would face, but He painstakingly and lovingly taught it anyway so that everyone could receive the blessings from Him doing so.

He loved enough to correct and stand up to those who were doing wrong, knowing full well what it was going to lead too. He flipped those tables and cleared those rooms out of love and respect to His Father and because He loved us enough to want to not only set a better example, but for it to be done in a better way.

He loved enough to persevere and push through, when I am positive that there had to have been days it would have been easier to just succumb to the hardships of His life, to the temptation of sin and His life to have gone another way.

He loved enough to wait, patiently, for when the time was right and for when His time was now, and for when He was called forth by His Father. “All in His perfect timing.”

He loved enough to exhibit His own faith, His own triumphs, His own miracles and His own overcoming of trials so that others could see what was pure and acceptable and what awaited in the Heavenlies for them, too.

He loved enough to continue standing tall while carrying the burdens of all the generations to come just so that we never had to.

His love was all encompassing and went to whatever lengths He felt it needed to go to in order to win over souls and bring people into His Father’s Kingdom. It went deeper than rebuking demons and facing hell on earth. It was rebuking the things that plague His people every day, in their everyday lives. He flipped tables and stood up to the pharisees and scribes back then, could you honestly imagine how busy He would be within our churches today?

Yes, God intends for us to love one another through uplifting and accepting, but that is not where love ends but only begins. If there is never any correction, then where does the authenticity of His Word come through? Where did we connive this watered-down version of the Truth that is so blatantly ignorant of what was written in red? I don’t believe He intended the gentle parenting version of love when He wrote of it.

More and more each day we are seeing the deconstruction of the intention of each word within His Word as people pick and choose what they want them to mean. And sadly, too many are allowing this deconstruction to take place because honestly it suits their fancy as well. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but He doesn’t care how many degrees, how many years or books you’ve studied or how many followers you may have, His Word endures forever. (1 Peter 1.25)

‘In the beginning the Word already existed; the Word was with God, and the Word was God. From the very beginning the Word was with God. Through him God made all things; not one thing in all creation was made without him. The Word was the source of life, and this life brought light to humanity. The light shines in the darkness has never put it out.’ John 1.1-5 GNBDC

‘For those who are according to the flesh set their mind on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.’ Romans 8.5-10 NASB

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Billie is a 40-something stay-at-home momma of five beautiful children and Grammy to three grandchildren. When not wrangling the littles, she babysits for her two adult children. You will find her gardening, canning, baking, and making the most delicious meals for her family. Billie is a multitasker juggling a team of miniature tyrants, a cat, a snake, two dogs, two rats, and nine chickens. In her spare time, she enjoys reading and studying her bible. Her passion is sharing the gospel through her writing! So, whether she’s feeding your body with delicious meals or feeding your soul through her writing, join Billie as she takes you on a journey providing you with “Food for Thought.”