The message of Love, “a credo of Giving” was loud and clear at this weekend’s reunion. Our Lord taught that we should do to others as we would have them do to us (Matthew 7:12).
With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,
Ephesian 4:2
Loving God is the first thing, the most important thing. But, with it comes an effect: to love God means that you also love God's people. The key problem in interpreting this double commandment for our time is that we lose sight of the biblical meaning of love. Our culture has equated love with intense emotion. To love is a stronger response than to like. And, both are measures of a passive response to something outside us.
We can love with our soul: by worshiping God and praying for our neighbors and ourselves. And we can love with our minds: studying God's Word and letting it correct us, enlighten us, and send us out in loving action to the world.
Therefore, we owe it to our neighbors to lovingly share with them the good news of the gospel. True believers have been forgiven, possess eternal life, and have blessings forever as the result of others who have shared the gospel with them. God’s love is evidenced in us as we communicate this precious gospel and love others as we have been loved.So, does God demonstrates His love by lavishing it on undeserving people who are in rebellion against Him?
Let’s roll out the cardinal carpet, put on our cardinal and gold best at the Earle Bruce era reunion, and be part of an environment where everyone can reminisce about our stories intellectually, physically, socially and with a spiritually of God’s love; how our experiences as student athletes and exactly how it molded us into the devotees we are today. Let’s be loud and proud, but also respectful, humble and gracious host of our wonderful bond of devotional love.
What I heard as the reoccurring theme all weekend was that Iowa State is the place where these former alumni football players really grew-up with the help of a tough coach and formed life-long friendships. Some hadn’t seen classmates in a number of years, and were able to pick up right where they left off” when they were called to “Loyal sons forever true”a Universal Team motto to love on, through their stories. You see we were on campus to honor a Coach that meant so much that we honored with a scholarship in his name to be given to a deserving walk on student athlete. Was this a way to give glory and thank God for all that has been a been to accomplish because our experience at Iowa State?
Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures, the primary characteristic of love is loyalty. The Hebrew word for love, like its English counterpart, can express ideas of familial warmth (Ru 4:15), or a desire for things (Is 1:23, Eccl 5:9). But whereas we today tend to stress love’s affective qualities, Hebrew to me emphasizes faithfulness and devotion. Today’s world message ought to confuse any who wonder how Jesus could demand an affective kind of love. This is not what he meant. Jesus drew on the biblical meaning of love, commanding unwavering loyalty to God and neighbor. Jesus shared this kind of loyal love with the Father and wished his disciples to experience it in the Spirit.
As I sit in ah in the middle of the sea of fan exhilaration for the 1stgame of the season. Tradition, passion, traffic patterns, parking problems and pride there is nothing quite like the game-day experience at Jack Trice Stadium. The unmatched atmosphere of tailgating shared is unmatched with other college football fans from across the country as “The Iowa State Cyclones” begin the start of the football season and how they show just how great of a loyal fan base they are.
As a former athlete this made me reflect on my perspective on the game day most fans don’t see. Game day is no different. The experience varies between players and teams, but some things remain constant. We had to stay in a hotel the night before the game, whether we were at home or away. You also had to have a roommate. Some of these guys snored, others stay up all night watching tv or on the phone, some opened up the windows, while others needed it extremely hot and still some had poor hygiene. But we still broke bread together in a legacy of Love. Very vital to have for our lasting trust, grace and love for one another. As today’s players arrival at the stadium. I observe Tradition which I participated in the past, which has the players and coaches walk thru a sea of yelling fans trying to motive them on their way to the locker room before the game.
Finally, after the game the fans are gone, it’s time to get ready to go home. You pack all your stuff up and then you’re gone and look forward to the next reunion. Fully understanding,” Theseare no substitute for the loyal love of God that Jesus holds up in today’s Gospel for our emulation.
One needs only to love the way God loved first in order to find a life worth living.Hopefully, with the help of the Holy Spirit your family and friends are there to greet you after the game to either help you continue to celebrate those great memories of love that console you /us think about forever as we age. Why does God love us? It is because of who He is: "God is love."
We should be so completely yielded to the Holy Spirit that He can possess us fully and, in that sense, fill us. Romans 8:9 and Ephesians 1:13-14 states that He dwells within every believer, but He can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30) and His activity within us can be quenched (1 Thessalonians 5:19). When we allow this to happen, we do not experience the fullness of the Spirit's working and His power in and through us. To be filled with the Spirit implies freedom for Him to occupy every part of our lives, guiding and controlling us. Then His power can be exerted through us so that what we do is fruitful to God. The filling of the Spirit does not apply to outward acts alone; it also applies to the innermost thoughts and motives of our actions.
Psalm 19:14 says, "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer."
God Bless You and This Ministry!
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