People Matter

The first great human crisis in the universe that is found in the scripture is found in Genesis 2. When we think of the human failings and crisis that we face we will think of what happens in Genesis chapter 3 when Eve and then Adam ate from the tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil being deceived by Satan. In Genesis 2 prior to sin God looked down on man and says, "it is not good" and when God says something is not good it is really not good. We all have opinions about different things that may not be good, but in this case God has clearly spoken that Adam's aloneness is not good. God then makes Eve and it is "very good." We were not only created to have an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ that is close, personal and passionate but we must have relationships with others that keep us from experiencing aloneness. God wants us to go through life with relationships that undergird us in the midst of our hurt and pain. We are not meant to go through life alone. Charles Stanley said, "Only Jesus can hug me from the inside out." I believe that, but at times I need a hug with skin on. This is why we go through life needing to experience the bearing of burdens from others as we go through the pains of life. As I am writing this I am fresh from seeing Gary Green who has been diagnosed with a benign brain tumor today that is putting pressure on the brain stem. This is fresh from a few months ago when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. I watched a few months ago and today through the phone lines and in person as people communicated their care, love and support for Gary and his family. This maybe an extreme case, but we have an opportunity no matter what the burden is to love each other and make sure that no one is going through life alone.

What Life is About

In the end life is about meeting God, knowing God and loving Him. Many people have paused life at simply meeting God but there is so much more. Some have gone on to know Him in a more intimate way, and I believe that it is impossible to know Jesus without loving Him. We are called to Love God. Jesus said that we are to Love God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength and our neighbor as ourselves. I find very often that in my life I live life thinking about things and living for things that aren't in this list. I think about the next election, or the superbowl, or warmer weather or where Amy, the boys and I are going to go on vacation this year. Some of those things are important but if I forget the most important in loving God and loving people then in the end what have I gained? Life isn't that complicated - to Love God and Love people is a pretty simple statement that any one can understand but we all struggle with. It may be an easy statement to understand but it is also a hard statement to do. Pray for me as I Love God and Love People and I will pray for you as you do the same.