Morning Moments

"Who is on the Lord's side?" Oh does Jesus have sides? You bet He does! He said "you are either for me or against me. He that gathers not with me scatters abroad." He said, "I came not to bring peace, but a sword and division. How, pray tell, can this be consistent with the love of God? And should we who truly believe in Him display that same attitude? How is that consistent with loving my neighbor as myself? How is such an attitude possible?

When I was young I had all the answers, but now I am old and have lots of questions:) But believe me when I say none of the above is contradictory. It all completely harmonizes with God who is love, but who does hate. Maybe I can explain by illustration.

A young man and woman "fall" in love and in due course get married. Growing up, she would go with her family on vacations. They would stay in cheap motels and eat at fine restaurants. On the other hand, growing up, he would go with his family on vacations and stay in fine hotels, but eat at fast food restaurants (cheap food places). On their honeymoon, there is a conflict as to which place to stay and which place to eat. She might say, "I hate that fast food junk." He may say "a bed is a bed is a bed, and I hate those expensive hotels:) Sound familiar?

Here is the deal. Because they do not care for the other's taste in accommodations or cuisine, does not change their love for each other. THIS is where the big problem comes for most of us. We either cop an attitude or resentment or pout, or get upset at things just that stupid. But how do we solve such problems? One of two ways. Either you compromise or you eat and sleep separately. It is just that simple when a couple attacks the problem and not the other person. Love learns to eat new things and sleeps in the same bed regardless of the room. When we attack the problem, it is because we understand that the person is more important to us than the problem. Otherwise everybody loses. ATTACK THE PROBLEM AND NOT THE PERSON!

God loves! He doesn't just do it, He is it! The difference in Him and us is that He is absolutely perfect and we are in the process of being perfected as believers. So, He knows what is best for us and the reason we should agree with Him is not just because He demands it, but because He knows it is best for us and He loves us.

NOW He has attacked the problem of the sin He hates, through the death and resurrection of Jesus. He dealt with the problem because He loves the person. He died for our sins (practice) and was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father to free us from sin (principle). We have all heard, "God loves the sinner, but hates the sin." Sin, very simply stated is INDEPENDENCE. It is the "I" of my life; the flesh; the old man; the sinful nature; the fallen nature; the Adamic side of me. Through Christ I can understand the difference between the sinner and the sin, and when I do, I attack the sin and not the sinner - whether that sinner is myself or someone else.

PRAYER: Precious Lord, Help me to understand that everyone is worth understanding, and that I hurt others when I refuse to understand. Help me to know that your love is eternal and consistent and that it does not depend upon what someone does or does not do, but upon who we are - the work of your hands. Help me to fight less and forgive more. Help me to discern that people do what people are and that if what people do is to change, what they are must change (INCLUDING ME), and that the change is a process for others as well as for me. So help me to love the sinner even though I hate the sin.