ONENESS and LOVE

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

So, were you awake into the wee hours this morning?  

Or are you like me and flipped on the news around 3:45a to “the big surprise”.

I have had the news on since and depending on which station you land on, where you get your news, you are hearing two very different views of “the surprise”.

And I usually protect the OFH from anything political.  I am not political by nature and most certainly not wise enough to pontificate.  And today’s OFH is by no means political.

For interestingly as I sat down to write this morning with all the news and noise in the background all I could think of was this prayer JESUS uttered over us…

The goal is for all of them to become one heart and mind—

Just as you, Father, are in me and I in you,

So they might be one heart and mind with us.

Then the world might believe that you, in fact, sent me.

The same glory you gave me, I gave them,

So they’ll be as unified and together as we are—

I in them and you in me.

Then they’ll be mature in this oneness,

And give the godless world evidence

That you’ve sent me and loved them

In the same way you’ve loved me. – John 17:20-23 (MSG)

Regardless of how you are digesting the shock, THIS is the HIGHER call of Jesus for ALL of us.  That ALL OF “US” (we believers) be UNIFIED and TOGETHER with CHRIST in us and leading us.  

And I love the way PETERSON translates and paraphrases when he shows that JESUS wants us to be MATURE in our oneness; something that has been deeply lacking for quite a while regardless of RED or BLUE.

Then almost on cue as Beth was enjoying some breakfast, she uttered something so sweet and care giving under her breath, "Now we need to get to LOVING."

She is right.

Your strong love for each other will prove to the world that you are my disciples. - John 13:35 (LB)

So, on what some call a historical day while others catastrophic, my only “political” statement today is this:

“Now that all of this is over and the result is in, WE Christians are still CALLED to seek oneness and love.”

So, will we heed the call and rise above gloating? 

Be part of the solutions? Or will we devolve into more anger, division and fear-mongering?

Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

I believe we can show ALL we are Christians by the way we LOVE.

Don’t you?

I love you all

OPPORTUNITIES for HOPE