Unity in Love
Scripture Reading
Psalm 66: 1-4 [NIRV]
1 Shout to God for joy, everyone on earth!
2 Sing about the glory of his name!
Give him glorious praise!
3 Say to God, “What wonderful things you do!
Your power is so great
that your enemies bow down to you in fear.
4 Everyone on earth bows down to you.
They sing praise to you.
They sing the praises of your name.”
Scripture Reading
John 14: 15-21 [NIRV]
Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit Will Come
15 “If you love me, obey my commands. 16 I will ask the Father. And he will give you another friend to help you and to be with you forever. 17 That friend is the Spirit of truth. The world can’t accept him. That’s because the world does not see him or know him. But you know him. He lives with you, and he will be in you. 18 I will not leave you like children who don’t have parents. I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore. But you will see me. Because I live, you will live also. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father. You will know that you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Anyone who has my commands and obeys them loves me. My Father will love the one who loves me. I too will love them. And I will show myself to them.”
New International Reader’s Version (NIRV) Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.®. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
A Further Reading to Reflect on this Week is:
Colossians 1: 15-20
15 The Son is the exact likeness of God, who can’t be seen. The Son is first, and he is over all creation. 16 All things were created in him. He created everything in heaven and on earth. He created everything that can be seen and everything that can’t be seen… All things have been created by him and for him. 17 Before anything was created, he was already there. He holds everything together. 18 And he is the head of the body, which is the church. He is the beginning. He is the first to be raised from the dead. That happened so that he would be far above everything. 19 God was pleased to have his whole nature living in Christ. 20 God was pleased to bring all things back to himself. That’s because of what Christ has done. These things include everything on earth and in heaven. God made peace through Christ’s blood, by his death on the cross.
New International Reader’s Version (NIRV) Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.®. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide
Questions
The following metaphors will help you reflect on what it means to be united in a Christ-breathed, and truth-filled, love. A Christ breathed love is sensitive like a…:
- Stethoscope – this assists with monitoring the health of the “heart”, and can hear the spiritual heart flutters of fear, hopelessness, despair…Is your heart “healthy” for the Lord? What about the health of the heart of our community? Is your heart sensitive to the needs of others?
A Christ breathed love is stable like a…:
- Gyroscope – this means that Christ followers are resilient, no matter what life throws at them; they might be knocked sideways for a while, but they always know which way is the right-side-up! Is this true for you, in your relationship with the Lord?
A Christ breathed love has the far-sighted vision of a …:
- Telescope – this means that your vision of God at work in your, in the world, and his purpose for all humankind, is not trapped in the present moment only. God has a plan for you “now” and for your “future”, and similarly, for all creation. Do you believe that? What is your spiritual vision like – is it trapped in near-sightedness (in the “now” only), or can you see the way ahead?
God bless
Tim.