Give up.

2 Samuel 24:24a

But the king replied to Araunah, "No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing."

David wouldn't dare act like he was going to sacrifice to God at no cost to him. He must pay,

because otherwise..

it's just dead animals. Just stuff. And otherwise, it's just money, or time, or energy, or words. I dare not.

Love is praying together in Taco Bell.

John 13:34-35
"A new command I give you:
Love one another. As I have
loved you, so you must love
one another. By this all men
will know that you are my
disciples, if you love one another."


The world won't know we're really, really disciples of Christ by going on missions trips or telling people not to cuss around us or doing VBS or supporting children in other countries or being happy or going to church (and liking it! wow!). Christianity is making progress in the pursuit of living like Christ. And Christ is the perfect model of human love. So to be like Him.. that means you don't give up when your friend keeps making the same mistakes, you always give the benefit of the doubt, you bear with each other, you tell them when they're doing great and when they're doing bad, you're honest, you listen intently because you really care, you bring their requests to God too, because God does listen, you don't tell their business, you forgive them seventy times seven (God does that for us every day probably), you rejoice and mourn with them, you protect them, you give things up to help them, you encourage and motivate them, love. Constant involvement doesn't always mean that you get an update on their life every day, but that in spirit you're loving them and thinking of them. We've been missing this for too long! God's two greatest commandments are both love. What are we doing talking about little doctrines and petty problems when there's love to be developed and had and shared?! Let's preach Christ not ideas! God Himself is Love, and we have His fullness in us, so we have all the resources for Love that we could ever need or ask for. Let's use them. Use Him! What a beautifully fulfilling thing it is to obey His commands in this regard! He is a delight, and all His ways are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of His covenant. Blessings will follow obedience. And sometimes obedience in itself is a total blessing no matter the 'outcome'. He is so wise, and He is Love, so who better to follow when trying to learn to love? AHHH!

Renewal.

Renewed: To make new or as if new again. To bring into being again; reestablish. To become new again. To start over. Restored to a new condition.



Even since new life, Sin is contantly jabbing his sword at me. I not only tolerate it, but I let it win. Thinking of that literally.. is totally embarassing (but I guess it looks really cool to just stand up and let yourself lose in a sword fight to sin. Oh, it's funny too.) I go back to what was death to me. I re-mar the image of Him in which I was created. I tear down the foundation. I try to jump out of His hands. I close my eyes and ears to what's Reality. But He restores me. Each day His mercies are new. And as I tear off, rip out, cut apart, and squeeze out of this old self He renews me day by day, in knowledge in the image of my Creator. He treats me as though I were new, as though I'd never sinned. Not that He turns a blind eye, but that He turns His holy eye through Jesus and His victory over my former master to see me. So positionally, I've certainly been renewed. It's done. But here in life I continue to progress.. and degress. I am being renewed. I am becoming now who I already am in Him. I want to be here how I am there. So I thought it the most realistic and fitting word for the Christian life.. renew.. because whatever form you use it in -renewing, renewed- it's true. And it's all His work, which is what makes it so solidly beautiful. God revealed this whole idea to Paul in Greek (or it came out in Greek.. or however that works.), so I thought it even a step up to use the originally inspired language. How marvelous is it that He never stops renewing us! It's day by day! That is love.