Skip to main content

Let Love Overtake You

Image
By

“Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever.” 
Psalm 136:26


Just the other day my daughter called me outside to ask me to help her with some sidewalk chalk. She wanted to write the phrase “Let LOVE Overtake You!” in big letters, and thought it might take her too long unassisted. How could I resist? Not only that, how could I agree with the value of her impassioned plea without joining in? Suddenly, I am reminded of the Vision Statement for the church. First Presbyterian is “A Place to Experience, Express, and Explore the Love of God.” In Psalm 136, each of the 26 verses end with, “His love endures forever.” Love is of God. The Psalmist speaks of the way the love of God has been experienced by the Israelites over and over again in the good creation we all enjoy, in God’s sustaining presence in the wilderness, and through victory over those who would enslave them. In all of these things, God’s love is the active force. And so it is for us as a community of believers. We are a gathering of souls that exist not because of this program or that, but because we believe that God is both active and present. We believe that in our worship and life together that we might find a deeper understanding of the God who is with us in all things. And so, as we look to the events of the church, let us not be moved by obligation. Let us be moved by the Spirit of God. Let us be overtaken, overrun, and consumed by the love of God, which endures forever. In this hope I stand with you.

Grace and Peace,
Zach
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Kanye West

By
So, did anyone out there see Kanye West rip on the President on live TV? What do you think? Is it a racial issue that help has been slow? Was Kanye anywhere near reality? Before you answer, be sure to look at this link too: http://www.wonkette.com/politics/ap/index.php
7 comments
Read more

I Am Legend

By
I've been waiting for this movie to come out on video for some time now. I don't see movies as much as I used to, but this is one I've been waiting for. Fortunately I got to see it on a home theater system. This film is definitely enhanced by larger viewing real estate and surround sound. If you aren't familiar with it, a genetically engineered virus has mutated humanity into vampire/zombie types. Dr. Robert Neville (Will Smith) is one of the last living humans, and he is working on the cure. It's based on the novel with the same title by Ricard Mathison . There are a few things of interest from the film theologically. Actually there are a ton. The relevance of human contact, concepts of God, the position of hope in human suffering, the expectation of sacrifice upon those who feel compelled to challenge the root causes of suffering, and the significance of community are just a few. Without spoiling the film, I'll just say a thing or two about God's...
4 comments
Read more

Angel in the Parking Lot

By
As I helped my dad into my stepmom's car to leave the hospital we made fists and I said, "You fight this thing." We punched knuckles, and I turned to walk inside to the ATM for parking money. As I turned my first tears came to me. I sniffled and held back the tide as I walked through the lobby, thinking how many times I'd seen others this way and what I must look like. I made it back out to the parking lot, whimpering under my breath. I almost wanted others to hear me, but I dared not make a scene. As I got to my car a cheapy, clunky charm from a toy cought my eye. It was an angel. For a moment I considered the child who may have lost it as I selfishly snatched it up for my own comfort. As I sat in my car blowing my nose and regaining composure I heard a horn beep but did not consider it. Suddenly a large African American woman appeared outside my window asking plaintively and forcefully, "Are you going to move that car?!" I wanted to roll down the...
3 comments
Read more