Category: love

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Banner of Love!

Song of Solomon Ch 1-8 His Banner over me is LOVE!

The author, supposedly King Solomon, shares intimate details about his life as king, husband, lover, and friend. He may have recorded this as one would record a day in their diary. Many scholars differ on the intents and purposes of this letter. Whatever the reason, we can trust that God has inspired this for our admonition. “Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” [2Tim 3:16] The king or the groom in this letter wasn’t  “Clean the house!” or “Try harder next time!” instead, his banner over her was “LOVE!”

David Colburn summarizes his perspective on this book in his prayer: Lord, your love for those who have accepted Jesus as Lord is beyond any human comparison, but that is the best we can do as we attempt to comprehend it. May I praise you and rest in the encouragement and peace that comes from knowing that you love me with a passion unmatched anywhere in this world.

 Do we have such intense love for Christ?   

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Doing the Right Thing…

1Chron 18: The Heart of David and My Heart
David is the new king but still waging war near and far. If the Israelites had been wise, they would not have rejected God as their King. Imagine a world in which God is the King. He promised He would cleanse the land, but now it is laid at the feet of men. The tragedy is that many are affected, and so it continues today.

After the death of Saul and Jonathan, David wonders if there is any left of the house of Saul. Could it be that God has preserved even one? Do I look for others in my family who may be alive to honor? (Yes, I did, but when I found them was told never to call, write or come for a visit. Sadness overload with no reasons given) 🙁 “tears”

But, in David’s case, God has saved one individual: Mephishobeth, Jonathan’s son, who lives in Lo Debar with a man named Ziba. David seeks him out and promises him blessing upon blessing. Imagine being Mephishobeth 🙂 upon hearing that the king requests your presence and then hearing that your future is protected!!!!!

David is an example of one who chose to administer justice and kindness to those who have suffered needlessly because of the choice made by others.

Isn’t that what Jesus did for you and me? Do I/we do the same?

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God is Love and He Loves

God is LOVE

Deut 5-7 God Loves You!
The wandering Israelites are now ready to shed the past and move into the future. God allows Moses to speak to their hearts which are questioning their status. Moses reminded them that God is a God of love but also a God of justice. He had already told them: Num 23:19, “God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a human being, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not make it happen?” Now again, in Deut 7:7, God reiterates this thought along with this word: I love you not because of anything you have done or how many of you there are, but just because I am not like men who vacillate with their love, but I am God, and I am Love. However, I am also a jealous God. and will not tolerate waffling behavior regarding obedience. I will reject those who reject me because I am not just a God of love but a God of justice; that is my character. Therefore, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. [Deut 6:5]

Blessed Reader, when our arch-enemy comes calling, remind him of this fact: God loves you! God loves the world! [Jn 3:16] God’s character does not change; what He has said, He will do.

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The Tenderness of Jesus

Jesus heals the broken hearted

Mark 14-16 Peter is one of the strongest and perhaps the weakest disciple. He announces he will not fail Christ in the time of testing, but his words fall on fallow ground. Christ reminds him that he will not only fail but also fail miserably. We equate with Peter because we, too, when faced with challenges to our faith and identification with Christ, resoundingly fail. 🙁 Yet, as Peter reviews this section, you can see Peter never forgot these words: “But go, tell his disciples, even Peter, ” [Mark 16:7] How gracious is our Lord.

Even when we fail, He is there to call us back into service.

Jesus knows the truth of our heart.

Where am I today? Where are you?

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His Banner over me is LOVE

His banner over me is LOVE

Song of Solomon 1-

Just like we hang a banner outside to announce to passersby a home’s theme, God’s Banner, which reads “LOVE,” hangs over us to show that inside are those who belong to the Savior. How beautifully is the banner that reveals God’s untarnished and pure love for His own. Solomon, as the author, hangs his banner over the one for whom he loves and loves with tenderness and compassion. The words are reflected in the love the Savior has for the ones He calls. Long ago, Jeremiah wrote these words to the children of Israel and us today: “I have loved you with an everlasting love. That is why I have continued to be faithful to you.” [Jere 31:3] Again in the NT are these words: “But “when the kindness of God our Savior and his love for mankind appeared,” [Titus 3:4] and 1Jo 4:19 “We love because he loved us first.”

Treasure that love today as God pours it over you as His Banner to the world that you belong to Him.

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Are you like Jacob?

Are you a Jacob?

Genesis 32 Feigned Love

There is a little bit of Jacob in all of us. Think for example that you are invited to someone’s home or some fellowship outside but we are not honest about why we do not want to join others. We feign illness or busyness or you fill in the blank. That is where we find Jacob. He is scared to death to meet Esau and especially so when he hears that he is coming with 400 men. Clearly, Esau has made more friends than Jacob! He has an entire entourage and has made it known to them that he was being reconciled to his long-lost brother.  But Jacob only is fearful and not really looking forward to this reunion. How like Jacob we are!

When Jacob hears about the 400 men he is clearly thinking that this is the end of his life and his family’s life. Crowds are fearful and his memories are still there of his deception. In his heart, he knows he was wrong but he is still not willing to confess to Esau his wrongful behavior and so he fudges in his explanations.

Again, we see how the unrighteous often behave better than we as the righteous do. This is a wake-up call for all who call themselves believers. Are you willing to be righteous before others? 

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The Personal Letters

John writes to those he loved

2nd and 3rd John John is now well advanced in age, but he is still sharp in mind and spirit. John never married, never had children, yet he has had the blessings of spiritual children who love the Messiah just as he. Like Peter, John is saying you have not seen him or touched him, but you love Him! [1Peter 1:8]

As the pastor shepherd, John is overwhelmed by his love for the elect lady and Gaius. He writes: “It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us.” [2John 1:4] This should bring us great joy when we see those we have discipled walking in the truth and in contrast we should feel great grief when we hear of those like Diotrephes who know the truth but are not walking in it. 

There will always be the Diotrephes who seek to lord it over others. John is saying, be discerning and call them to account but before you do, be on your knees praying for wisdom; compassion, and a heart full of love.  Today follow John’s example and love one another.

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The Evidence is Clear:

Love is a gift

1 John Beloved is one of John’s favorite words, and he uses that word as he pens this book to those he loves. The reason is that Jesus gave this commandment:  “I give you a new commandment – to love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. Everyone will know by this that you are my disciples – if you have love for one another.” [John 13:34, 35] As we step from darkness into God’s light, we will demonstrate these three qualities: love, abiding, anointing. Each of those qualities marks the believers/followers of Jesus. 

John assures his readers that because Jesus is our Advocate, we can trust that if we confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive us. [1John 1:9] In addition, He has given us the Holy Spirit to bring thoughts to our mind and direct our steps if we are yielding, He will give us understanding. [John 14:26]

This same Holy Spirit releases His Fruit into our lives so that we can walk in the same manner as Jesus did. Our fruit is to love one another so that “we may have confidence and not shrink away from him in shame when he comes back.” [1John 2:28]

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You are loved!

You are loved

Dan 10 to 12 Three times Daniel is told he is “greatly beloved.”

God’ so loved the world’ is a favorite verse, and many can quote it but do they truly understand those words? God so loved, not “because you were more numerous than all the other peoples that the Lord favored and chose you—for in fact you were the least numerous of all peoples.” [Deu 7:7] He told Jeremiah that”  ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love. That is why I have continued to be faithful to you.” [Jer 31:3] God loved Daniel, Jeremiah, and many others, and lastly, He loved you! How great is His love? It is beyond measure, beyond our comprehension.

Yet, He came, He lived, He died upon a cruel cross, all because He loved you.

Today you are greatly beloved; you and me. There are so many today that need this message of hope. May we be willing to share that hope with others so that they too can hear: well done, thou good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of the Lord. Are we sharing the joy of Him who gave all?

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A Picture of Christ’s love!

Christ loves us!

Song of Solomon Ch 1-8 The author, supposedly King Solomon, shares intimate details about his life as king, husband, lover, and friend. It may be that he recorded this as one would record a day in their diary. Many scholars differ on the intents and purposes of this letter.   However, it is thus inspired by God:

“Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” [2Tim 3:16]

Many have seen to choose the phrase “his banner over me is love” to describe the groom’s intense love for his bride. “Now his banner over her was not, “Clean the house!” or “Try harder next time!”; instead, his banner over her was “LOVE!”

David Colburn sums up for us a perspective on this book in prayer: Lord, your love for those who have accepted Jesus as Lord is beyond any human comparison, but that is the best we can do as we attempt to comprehend it. May I praise you and rest in the encouragement and peace that comes from knowing that you love me with a passion unmatched anywhere in this world.

 Do we have such intense love for Christ?  

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