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Shaped By His Love“These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” – John 15:11-12 Jane’s life had been on a downhill slide for some time. She struggled to make ends meet. Putting groceries on the table and paying rent not only took all her paycheck, but sapped all her energy, as well. She was tired and decisions became tougher and tougher. Now, because of a combination of stubbornness and delayed depression, wrong decisions, even on easy matters, became as normal as breathing air for Jane. Things continued to grow worse and Jane soon found herself in what seemed a never ending tail spin. The worst poverty of all began to plague her … the poverty of loneliness. I tell this story because it is relevant to us today. All of us have been touched in some way by those who suffer the poverty of loneliness and all that goes along with it. That’s right, all that goes along with it! For you see, the feeling of not being loved is the key ingredient in the mix of the poverty of loneliness. God’s love is a gift given by Him to us. It is the very gift of Jesus. When, by the grace of God, we take ourselves out of the picture, when we leave our egos at the threshold of our neighbor’s door and step inside the house of his or her life, then we are at the starting point of sharing God’s love with our neighbor. We begin to love one another as Christ has loved us. Each step after that becomes easier and easier, simply because the Holy Spirit continues to beckon us to care for those hurting souls around us. Nothing else molds and shapes us more to love and care for our neighbor than our God as he reveals Himself to us in His Word and through the sacraments. Yes indeed, there are those all around us like Jane who suffer from this poverty of loneliness and all that goes along with it. As God’s children, we are called to share the love of God in Christ Jesus with all the Jane’s of the world, even the silent ones. But let’s not forget that nurturing one another in that love goes hand-in-hand with nurturing ourselves through God’s Word. Like the potter shapes an old piece of clay into a beautiful piece of pottery, God shapes us with His Word. Make no mistake, when we put away all the excuses and get ourselves out of the way, God will always, always give us the opportunity to share His love with others. As we are shaped by Christ’s love, we eagerly share that same love molded into us with those around us. So, brothers and sisters in Christ let us encourage one another with that same love. God will bless us by removing all the gritty - rough pieces of clay and Christ Jesus, our Savior, will gently shape and mold us with His love. He alone will gracefully lead us to share that same love with others who suffer. His love is there for each of you. God’s Peace to you, Pastor Tom |
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