3 March 2012

3 March 2012


"But I say to you, love your enemies,
and pray for those who persecute you,
that you may be children of your heavenly Father,"

If we want to be children of our Father in heaven it isn't so much that there is a checklist of things we need to do.  What he actually asks us is that we may let his love manifest itself in us.  That means his life is within us which is what it means to be family.  Unconditional love is God's DNA:

"for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good,

and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust."

But this means that it is impossible.  There is no way weak, mortal, limited beings such as us can live that.  It the slightest provocation we are ready to withhold love.  In fact, if we are honest, we don't even love people when they most deserve it.  How much less, then, can we live up to this:

"So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect."

But when we remember his goal for us, that we "are to be a people peculiarly his own", we realize that of course he will make it possible.  He wants to raise us on high in praise and renown and glory.  It isn't that he wants little obedient machines.  He actually wants great things for us and for that reason calls us to such a high standard.  In doing so he calls us to rely on him more and more.  

"Oh, that I might be firm in the ways of keeping your statutes!"

Only in crying out to him can we find the strength to live as we are called.  It simply isn't within us.  He wants us to be a people "sacred" to him, not simply obedient, or even special or privileged.  He wants us to be set apart for himself.  Love can settle for no less.