As we prepare to begin our weekly biblestudy, I'm always on the lookout for some interesting things to talk about. This comes from Yahoo news. This lady has had an 'afterlife' experience after suffering from an aneurysm. Here is what she says.
“I went into this tunnel, and I came into this room that was just beautiful. God held me, he called me by name, and he told me, ‘Mary Jo, you can’t stay.’ And I wanted to stay. I protested. I said, ‘I can’t stay? Why not?’ And I started talking about all the reasons; I was a good wife, I was a good mother, I did 24-hour care with cancer patients.
“And he said, ‘Let me ask you one thing — have you ever loved another the way you’ve been loved here?’ And I said, ‘No, it’s impossible. I’m a human.’ And then he just held me and said, ‘You can do better.’ ”
Wow! You can do better. So not what I want to hear. I want to hear "Well done, good and faithful servant... Enter into the joy of your lord."
But what would God say to me? Well done.... or, you can do better? That's certainly something to ponder. I know that I have not loved others with a love that would make me want to willingly leave my family, my children and husband behind. What love must one feel the moment we enter Heaven to leave our lives behind and desire to stay. Protest to stay. Instantly. I don't care what or who I leave behind, only let me stay. I would have to feel some deep, abiding, unconditional love radiating around me. But have I loved others that way? No. Some, perhaps. But I can do better. How about you?
Here are just a few reminders about LOVE. It is the unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another. It is demonstrative, it requires action.
John 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
John 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
1Peter 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love
of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently
1John 3:11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
1John 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
These are just a few, but meditate on them a bit. Men shall know we are God's disciples by the way we love. We are commanded to love, because God loves us. And we know that God requires obedience, not sacrifice. We should love with a pure heart, fervently (marked by great intensity). We have heard this message of love since the beginning, we should have it down by now! And again, if God so loved us, we ought to love one another. We should. But we don't.
As you go through this week and encounter different people, ask yourself if they can tell you're a Christ follower by they way you love. Are you demonstrating pure love with great intensity? Would God say "Well done!" or "Go back and do better."
