“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35 ESV
Do you feel the Holy Spirit’s breath? Just like sun and water to a flower.
When he (Jesus) had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.—John 20:22, NRSV
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My heart is so agitated when I hear of another attack, (Poway, Calif) seemly one after another on houses of worship. And, it is no less painful when it’s a school or other public venue. I hear on news over and over again another, “hate crime”.
As I struggle and wrestle with prayer words with my thoughts and others flying like what feels like a jet plane through my mind I’m remind speak our the Words of The Living God. There is power is words! This scripture found in John 13 won the wrestling match for me.
As I ponder, love one another as God, my Heavenly Father loves me I found a promise that I might just have forgotten or ignored over time. Think with me on this, “ALL people will know”….
If you have a moment you might like to read a love story. Well, I’m calling it that but you might want to rename it.
Thank you, Sara, for sharing the scriptures above as a measuring rod; your thoughts which give fresh perspective; and the love story which I think gives a vivid practical example of John 13:34-35 in action.
“Think with me on this, “ALL people will know”…. As I think on this, it seems from the love story that acts of kindness and seeming forgiveness from the neighbors for the unlovely was in view to their communities so that “ALL people will know”. Then the authors and the newspaper published so that “All people will know.” And from there you, Sara, found, linked to the commandment of Jesus and posted here on The Lily…so “All people will know.” …further fulfilling God’s truth. Many acts of love in Rwanda traveled far so that “All people will know”.
The cactus picture reminds me of the Rwandan people who looked beyond the harm, hurts and pain that a cactus can inflict to the beauty of its bloom which can come from even the thorniest soul.
Debi, thanks for joining in to connect the dots that The Holy Spirit assigns making sharing His love so easy when we take time with open hearts and allow Him to breathe the bread of life into lives as we connect with this one and that one.
Our God is so purposeful in every action and deed. He gives us light and we deed it to others to use for sight by our connecting deeds. Oh yes, joyful, joyful we adore Him. 🎼
The beautiful cactus says to me no matter who we are we all have prickles/sins. God can still use us with our prickles to do our part in connection with others doing their parts. When each cactus does its part to serve up what the Lord planted within them, a beautiful arrangement comes together. Another bouquet orchestrated by the Master Teacher to bring joy to His chosen receiver/s. This touch will then be viewed by others who want a Jesus touch also.
Just a great analogy of the blooming cactus, Rena!
Debi gave us an artful view of one of God’s gifts to earth.
I love visual psalms! And, the cactus sure puts a song in one’s heart.