Thursday, January 19, 2012

Looking for Everlasting Love? You Won't Find it with the Vampires, Werewolves or Other Things that Go Bump in the Night


Stock photo Twilight, http://bit.ly/wv6x8q
by:  Dawn Ford

OK, it’s confession time. 

I’m a Christian woman who got sucked into the Twilight series.  In my defense, it started a couple of years ago when I saw several of my fifth grades girls* walking around school with the books.   As a speech therapist, anything that got my language impaired/learning disabled girls (or boys for that matter) reading was of interest to me.  I had done lesson plans for the Harry Potter series, as well as  Lord of the Rings, so I figured, this was no different.

What I didn’t expect was how hooked I got.  I devoured the four books in a week, waited with great anticipation for the first two movies and started reading other books in the same genre.  When the third movie was about to be released, a reporter friend Dave, was tasked to write an article on the world wide phenomenon.  On his Facebook page he posed a simple question, “Why do women like Twilight?”

It gave me time to pause, to reflect and quite frankly shook me back to reality.  I realize the main reason I was enthralled with the series, (especially the first book) was the love between the two main characters.  The idea of someone loving you forever, with that kind of intensity is intoxicating.  Who wouldn’t want to be loved like that? Of course, the shake back to reality came when I remembered I was already loved in just that way.

Scripture

John 3:16

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Back Story

In John 3, Jesus is talking to Nicodemus a Pharisee.  His chief job, as part of the Jewish ruling counsel, was the strict interpretation and observance of Mosaic Law.  By the time Jesus came on the scene the Pharisees along with Scribes, and Sadducees had twisted these laws into rules and regulations that where impossible to follow.  They were Jesus’ staunchest critics because He called them out at every opportunity for their legalistic, unrealistic ways.

Nicodemus came to Jesus at night.  He had heard Him preach during the day, had seen Him perform miracles and Nic wanted to know more.  Right off the bat, Jesus blows Nicodemus’ mind by telling him, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again,” (John 3:3).

It was taught widely among the Jews at that time, that since they descended from Abraham, they were automatically assured of heaven. In fact, some Rabbis taught that Abraham stood watch at the gate of hell, just to make sure that none of his descendants accidentally wandered in there.1

Then Jesus utters the most famously quoted verse out of all 31,373 in the bible, shattering another long standing Jewish belief that God not only loved the Jews, but the whole world. 

Our Take Away
 In one verse we learn it all:
  • We learn the object of God’s love (agape, unconditional love): the world   
  • We learn the expression and the gift of God’s love: He gave His only begotten Son. God’s love didn’t just feel for the plight of a fallen world. God did something about it, and He gave the most precious thing to give: His only begotten Son.
  • We learn the recipient of God’s love: Whoever believes in Him. God loves the world, but the world does not receive or benefit from that love until it believes in Jesus, the gift that the Father gave. For the record, believes in means much more than intellectual awareness or agreement. It means to trust in, to rely on, and to cling to.
  • We learn the intention of God’s love: should not perish. God’s love actually saves man from eternal destruction. God looks at fallen humanity, does not want it to perish, and so in His love He extends the gift of salvation in Jesus Christ. 
  • We learn the duration of God’s love: everlasting life. The love we receive among people may fade or turn, but God’s love will never change. He will never stop loving His people, even unto the furthest distance of eternity.2

It's not about being judgmental. 

I didn’t see the fourth Twilight movie, I won’t see the fifth and I don’t have the books on my shelf anymore.  Don’t misunderstand me.  I’m not saying reading this material or other secular works are wrong.  For me, it made me take my eye off the true love that is extremely intoxicating, all encompassing and undeniably infinite.  


Questions:

 1.  Is there something in your life that takes your eyes off the true love, the unconditional love of God?



2.  If so, how will you chose today to refocus on what's really important? 



References:
  • * ATTENTION PARENTS:  Fifth grade girls should not be reading these books.  There is a teen rating for a reason.  If you do find your child reading these books or any other above their age range, use it as a teachable moment and read the books together. 

Dawn Ford is VP of Infinite Love Ministries, INC (ILM).  A non-profit corporation dedicated to showing all the infinite love of Christ. For more information, check out the tabs at the top of this page or visit our website,  http://www.infiniteloveministries.com/

Monday, January 16, 2012

There is No Racism Under Christ

Martin Luther King, 1964

By: Dawn Ford

I enjoy working with Preschools and Kindergarteners.  They love and accept everyone.  It doesn’t matter what you look like, how you walk or how you talk, these little people with pure hearts eat together, play together, and even have rest time together.

Unfortunately a sad thing happens when many of these same sweet Preschoolers became third and fourth graders.  Suddenly, differences are noticed, tagged and in extreme causes exploited.  As an educator I work hard to combat these issues head on but it’s difficult to stop the ball once it’s in motion.

As we reflect today on the man Martin Luther King and his message, we can be proud of many accomplishments in the almost 44 years since his death.  Praise God my generation and younger have not had to live through the day to day outward aggression that tore this country apart in the 1960’s.  As Christ followers however, we must not be complacent and not enter into a Passive Racism where we turn a blind eye to problems and issues that still plague our country and our world today.

Scripture

Colossians 3: 1-14

11"Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."

Back story

Paul is writing to the church in Colosse, a city in Asia Minor (now Turkey) and believers everywhere.  The letter is composed from a prison cell in Rome, in an attempt to combat new believers combining the Christian truth with paganism and secular philosophy. 1

In chapters 1-2 Paul explains how the world’s teaching are totally empty when compared with God’s plan and he challenges the Colossians to reject shallow answers and to live in union with Christ.  Once they (and us) enter that union with Christ, Paul urges the Colossians to foster union with one another and live in harmony under the love a Christ, (chapters 3 and 4). 2

Our Take Away

There is no racism under God.  God is very specific early in His Word, when He calls Abram to leave Ur (yes folks that’s modern day Iraq) and follow Him.  In Genesis 12: 1-3 and again in Genesis 18:18, God specifically states that all people on earth and all nations will be blessed through Abram (later Abraham).  No nation, people or race is given preferential treatment.  Even the Jews, while they are called God’s “chosen people”, God meant they were “chosen” to bring his message of love and acceptance to the world.

One little Jewish boy got is so right.  Look at Christ teaches when he put on skin and came to earth.  Jesus’ “superstars” in his parables and in his teaching where always people the Jews despised; The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:33-37), 10 lepers are healed, only the Samaritan comes back to thank Jesus (Luke 17:16), the Roman official who has so much faith Christ will heal his servant, he tells Jesus, he doesn’t even have to come to his house, just speak the healing and it will be done (Matt 8:6-11). 

Jesus purposely picked races the Jews looked down on, not to only teach them the Good News was for all but also to show God doesn’t play favorites. 

Our only call is to love.  Once you are a Christ follower the love you have for Him, should translate into love for all – friends, fellow believers, spouses, children, parents, slaves and masters. 

What can we do now?

Be mindful.  While you might not speak or act with hate, tolerating others behavior, jokes, speech, and actions is all forms of passive racism.  Racism stems from fear and misplaced pride.  While it should be done in love, be bold enough to educate what is appropriate under Christ’s direction. 

Also, use situations as teachable moments for your children and children in your sphere of influence.  The only way I combated the shift from PreK acceptance to fourth grade bigotry was letting it know what I would tolerate and what I wouldn’t.   

ALL means ALL.  The word for “all,” “kole” in Hebrew, “pas” in Greek means, “each, every, any, all, the whole, everyone, all things, everything.”  Christ message is for all. He wants to be in all and He wants us to love all.  

Questions:

1.  What are you reflecting on today as we celebrate Martin Luther King Day?



2.  What can you do differently to facilitate Christ ALL approach?   


Dawn Ford is a licensed speech language pathologist and the Vice President of Infinite Love Ministries, INC. A not for profit corporation dedicated to showing all the infinite love of Christ.  For more information check out the website, http://www.infiniteloveministries.com/


1 and 2, Life Application Bible, New International Version, 1988, page 2156