Uncontaminated Love

The whole point of what we’re urging is simply love—love uncontaminated by self-interest and counterfeit faith, a life open to God.  1 Timothy 1:5  MSG

The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.  1 Timothy 1:5  NIV

Sometimes the dimensions that Eugene Peterson adds to God's word through The Message reaches pretty deep into my day to day reflection of what God is asking of me.

This idea of love uncontaminated by self interest reminds me of a Walk Thru The Bible devotion that asks, "Where am I (God) in this?"... expanded to- this relationship, this job, this conversation? We are to love from God's point of view, God's interest in others.

In thinking about our most difficult relationships- let's ask God to uncontaminate our love and give us his view, his heart, his voice, his hands in these and every relationship he places before us.

Running on Empty or Running in Our Lanes?

So be careful to do what the Lord your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess. Deuteronomy 5:32-33

Track runners know that the shortest and fastest path to the finish line is in their designated lane. It's also the path that expends the least amount of energy.

We live in a wild and crazy world where most of us could use a little more energy : )

Our God has an app for that! He is delighted when we let Him define our lanes (and our destinations) and then we stay in those lanes. Our God loves to direct our steps and encourage our hearts along the way.

Dr. Henry Cloud loves to point to Ephesians 2:10 as a reminder that we need healthy boundaries to accomplish what God has ordained for us.

For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

What's ahead today or this week? Feeling like a hamster on a treadmill? Maybe it's a little more high tech- like Astro, the Jetson's dog, on the space age dog walking treadmill suddenly sucked on to the belt and holding on for dear life. Let's call timeout and ask God to show us the next steps we're to take in the lane He has for us.

A Biblical Version of "Let It Go" : )

This morning, reading Eugene Peterson, in The Message, he takes a familiar passage at John 12:25- (NLT)...

Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity.

...and expands it as

...anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you'll have it forever, real and eternal. (MSG)

Think for a moment how those words apply right now.

Then, ask Jesus to reveal an area of life, a relationship, or a decision where you might be holding on too tightly.

Say out loud, "this world is not my home".  How does that feel? What does it make you think about what you might be holding on to?

Picture loosening your grip and then letting it go, "reckless in your love"... imagine God's delight with this act of trust. Thank Him for the forever life that follows this one.

This week, when we grip something tightly- whether a jar lid, a tennis racket, or a child's hand- let's be thankful that our God has a tight grip on our eternity.

And of course, here is Idina Menzel singing "Let It Go"...