United by Love - Day 182 Month 7-1 Week 26-7
Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year)
Judges 21:8-25, Psalm 148, Jeremiah 51:27-35, Acts 15:36-16:21
United by Love
We have reached the halfway point of this year's Bible reading plan. I have been encouraged by the many people who have taken the time to do the reading, follow along with the blog, and share the journey.
I started writing this for my own benefit. At first, I simply posted the daily reading on Facebook along with a few thoughts about what stood out to me. After only a handful of posts, it became clear that I needed something a little more structured, so I started this blog. My original goal was simply to encourage a few people to walk through the Bible with me in one year.
I have found it challenging to stay consistent. So far, I've been able to keep going, but there are many obstacles that compete for my attention. Even on days when I get up early for work, it can be difficult to complete my reading, write the blog, and spend time in prayer. Sadly, prayer is often the thing that is left out.
The life of a Jesus follower is not always easy. There are pressures from the world, pressures we place on ourselves, and spiritual obstacles that try to distract us. Sometimes there are even pressures from fellow Jesus followers. Just like in any family, we do not always agree—and perhaps that's one of the things that reminds us we really are family.
In today's reading from Acts, Paul and Barnabas had a "sharp disagreement" over whether Mark should join them on their journey. It sounds like a serious argument, and in the end they chose to go their separate ways. The Church today is no different. We have believers with very different political views. Some prefer the King James Version of the Bible, while others prefer modern translations. Some hold an egalitarian view of leadership, believing men and women can serve equally in every role. Others hold a complementarian view, believing men and women are equal but have different leadership roles. Some churches are more inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community, while others are not.
These differences can create sharp disagreements. Yet Jesus gave His followers a much higher calling. In John 13:35 He said, "By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." We may disagree on many issues, but love should always be the thing that people notice first. If we lose sight of love, we lose sight of the very heart of Jesus. If we cannot love one another, how can we claim to love God or love our neighbours? Love is what brings unity.
I am writing this on Saturday. Today my brother-in-law was married in a church not far from where we live. That church holds some beliefs that are different from mine, yet we share what I believe are the most important truths. We believe that Jesus died and rose again because of God's love for the world. We believe in the Trinity; that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are one God. We believe the Church's mission is to make disciples, and we believe we are called to love God and love our neighbours.
Sylvia and I were welcomed as brother and sister. In fact, one of the women there greeted Sylvia by calling her "sister." We felt at home among people we had never met before.
That is one of the beautiful things about the Church. It really is a family.
Will we begin attending that church? Probably not. But if we ever return, we know we will be welcomed with love. Just maybe, that's exactly how the family of God is meant to be.
Have a great day!
Steve
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Nice recap of that day 👍
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