Knowing Love

I've been meditating on LOVE.

My beginning thoughts about the subject were fun and poetic. Then, after a time they became exhaustive... and to such an extent that I began to feel overwhelmed by it. Suddenly it felt complicated. Difficult. Foreign.

Holy Spirit reminded me often that it was not complicated.

Nevertheless, it seems I've wrapped it up with a bit of melancholy. I've come to the conclusion that I don't know what it is at all. I mean really really know.

I believe what the Word says it is though... Yes I do.

Maybe next I need to meditate on what it means to believe...


For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. 1 Cor. 13:12



Photo is "pondering" (google re-use)


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Gao Zhisheng

Christian human rights attorney Gao Zhisheng, disappeared February 4, 2009 and was last seen being taken away by a dozen police officers.

I want to do something to help Gao Zhisheng. He is imprisoned. He is being tortured. I pray for him and I think about him a lot. Beyond that my heart wrings over the suffering he endures at the hands of hatred. The only other thing I can do to help him is to let others know about him.

I would love it if you would take the time to visit the "Help Free Gao Zhisheng" website to read more about this amazing man and discover some real ways you can help get him out of prison. As of this writing, he has been imprisoned for 315 days! The last email update I received about him described his condition as being worse than death. This man is our Christian brother. Please, do this for him!


photo: Gao Zhisheng (google re-use)


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Church

I am a spiritual being with a soul that lives in a body. It occurs to me that the church is too.

The church’s spirit is full of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

The body of the church are all those who are subjects of Jesus the Christ; each one having special gifts meant to be shared for the benefit of all and for taking the gospel to lost people. When two or more get together God joins them for fellowship, worship, prayer, study, fun and and and... all kinds of wonderful stuff.. just like a family!

The soul of the church is its mind, will and emotions. Creativity abounds here!! This is also the realm that gets us into trouble sometimes! It’s where traditions, laws and practices can sometimes try and overrule the simple and wonderful gospel of grace.

I love the church...all of it. This is how they (the world) shall know us right? By our love for one another. If I could put the church in a tidy little box it's my hope that it would look something like this…

GOD is love
God IS love
God is LOVE

This post was done in participation with the One Word At A Time Blog Carnival and was hosted this week by Bridget. Thanks for inviting me to be in on the fun!!


Photo is: "Walking" from Morgue File.