Saturday, May 12 & Sunday, May 13--Happy Mother's Day

No Greater Love

John 15:12-14:  This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.

The twins and I were visiting my parents.  It was a beautiful spring day and my mother, the children and myself had just returned to their home after a wonderful morning excursion.  As is our custom, we were out in the yard, adoring the new flowers in bloom and taking in the fresh air.  One of my mother's flowers was so beautiful,  I dashed for the car to get my camera so that I might capture its elegance.  As I rushed to the car, I yelled back to my two year old children to stay with their Mema until I returned.  My daughter obeyed my command; however, my son did not.  Before I knew it, he was running behind me and within seconds he had run past me towards the busy highway.   

Immediately, I dropped everything to run behind him and it seemed as though time sped up as I raced to grab my son before he reached the street.  Time won.  He was in the middle of the road and as I reached to grab him, I fell and we were both lying in the road in the hands of fate...  I needed to move quickly; however, gravity seemed to hold us to the pavement.  The events of my life surged through my consciousness.  In an instant my son and I were released from the earth's grasp and I leaped out of the road.  Within minutes several cars flashed by...

I almost died in an attempt to save my son.  As I realized this, the magnitude of Jesus' sacrifice hit me like a ton of bricks.  WOW!!!  Jesus laid down his life not just for one of us but for all of creation.  Given my love for my son, I did not hesitate to reach to save his life.  God's love for us is greater than this.

Prayer:  God your love for us surpasses a mother's love for her children.  Your love for us is pure.  Thank you so much.  Now teach us how to love one another in a way that attributes to your feelings for us.  Amen.

 THE REVEREND TIFFNEY MARLEY

Friday, May 11, 2012

Living In Love

1 John 5:1-6 

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the parent loves the child. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, for whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith. Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This is the one who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only but with the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one that testifies, for the Spirit is the truth.

It seems that the family of God is so fractured that it is perpetually defeated. It makes one wonder how often the enemy capitalizes on this? It makes one wonder what those literally not born of God think about those who claim to be born of God. What sort of family do they believe us to be? What sort of fractured family are we?

Our existence as the Divine Family all begins with loving God; however, it can not stop there.  There should be no civil war in the family of God.  While it is challenging at times, as we love God we must also love those who are born of God.  Today, our petition is for humility, forgiving hearts, merciful attitudes and compassion.

If we say we love God, it is not optional for us to love our neighbor.

Prayer

Dearest God forgive us of our sin. Teach us how to love one another in a way that illumines our love for you.  Thank your for your grace and your patience.  May we extend that to one another on today.  Amen.

The Reverend Betty A. Brown