Life between the dashes - Matthew 22:37-39

October 16, 2011

Matthew 22:37-39 (GW)
³⁷ Jesus answered him, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.'
³⁸ This is the greatest and most important commandment.
³⁹ The second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.'

Thinking of how much I love my Mom as she hangs on to life. Life is such a gift from God. We come to realize the brevity of life when someone we love is hanging on. But all too soon, it’s easy to forget that we’re not going to live this earthly life forever.

Many people I know don’t have the experience of having a loved one die while they are young. I have had that experience. It seems like people who have been near and dear to me have passed away in every decade of my life. I’ve had to make adjustments without them. It hasn’t always been easy because I haven’t always been close to God – that makes a huge difference.

Through my journey, I’ve come to realize how life is really about honoring those we love. Forgiveness and love are gifts we get from God as we pass through life. Once a loved one is gone, you can’t give or get that love back and you certainly can’t receive and bestow forgiveness. All those little relational difficulties that we allow to fester and ruin our lives disappear when life is no more. We are left alone -- with only our bitter memories.

Christ changed my perspective of love. I find myself unable to detest those whom I formerly detested. I’ve finally realized that I was selfish when it came to refusing to love unconditionally as the Lord loves me. When I think of God’s endless love – I have to extend that same love to others. They can choose to receive it or not – but I’m bound as a disciple of Christ to love.

Loving unconditionally is really all about living powerfully in between the dashes of birth and eternity.