Know Suffering, Know Love
Scripture: I John 4: 14-16
Do you know true love? True love manifested itself when God came to
us through Jesus, born in Bethlehem. The
life laid out for him was not comfortable nor glamorous. It was challenging and difficult right from
birth, and would lead him straight to much suffering, crucifixion and
death. Jesus suffered deeply.
In spite of his difficult
life, the way that Jesus lived and loved was perfect. Everything he ever said or did was driven by
love, mercy, and justice. He understood
suffering and he modeled genuine compassion for the poor, the sick, and the
lonely. Through the eyes of Jesus we see
love so great that it births miracles, breaks down the walls that separate us
from one another and from God.
If we live as Jesus did, we
will love as Jesus loved. Chances are we
may suffer deeply, too. Many have
suffered for the cause of Christ, even unto persecution and execution. It seems, however, that these people who
loved and suffered so greatly discovered a level of faith so deep that they
were willing to lay their lives down for the cause of Christ. Our modern day complaints pale in light of
our early church fathers and mothers!
And yet, our suffering is
real. When we embrace the things that
cause us fear and pain, we experience God’s great love in a deeper manner. As we lend ourselves to the love that we
were created for, even while suffering deeply, the dynamics of love and
suffering together make us able to see life in ways we never would have
considered before. To know suffering and
to know love is to grow in Christ.
Prayer: Dear God, I long to live inside of the great love you
have for me. When the great difficulties
of life come, hold me close to your heart and fill me with your Holy Spirit so
that I might trust you and rest in your love, no matter what happens.
The Reverend Josefina Perez
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