Love..Mercy
I want to love like God. People say you can't and I say "that's crap" because I have just spent the last 8 days studying about what it means to love. God's love is not earthly, but supernatural. It's the power of the Holy Spirit moving and working in a soul that is open to seek after the heart of God. It is the removal of all the crap in our hearts, all the old relationships that we hang on to, all the unforgiven actions of others that we still hold dearly.....as if it will set us free.
I have spent the last few days struggling so much on how to write this. But I just had a discussion with a friend about friendship and through that, God has just let my tears flow and the words fall out. Love...mercy...that is what I want to share about. If it take 2 posts then I will do it. If God says "make this a long one" then I WILL DO IT. Cause I desire above all else.......above marriage, motherhood, traveling, peace, joy, friendships.......to know God. To really know Him. I want something different and like Abraham....I want God to called me his friend. I do. I want intimacy with Him. Above all.
This whole thing with Sunday school started with the verses from Ephesians 3. Please read the entire portion. Now, I want to address all that is going on in this word but know that I can't......so i will try to focus and not become overwhelmed......ps. read it out loud!
Ephesians 3:14-21
"For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."
What does it mean to be rooted and established in love? This is the question that God has been repeating over and over to me. "Caroline, rooted.....established.....both past tense.......not rooting in love or establishing in love.....already there, already rooted, deep, strong".
...."out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith..." this verse before root/est. are what seem to be the most important. It says we will be strengthened by the Holy Spirit and as our faith grows....the more and more Christ dwells......the more He dwells the more we are strengthened through His power.
Does that make sense? When I am spending time with Father...talking to Him, confessing sins, chatting, studying, asking questions, reading His word, wanting to be more like Christ.......my faith increases. The more faith, the more He dwells with in me. The more He dwells in me, the more strength and power through the Holy Spirit is within me........................................................................if I am full of His power and strength....then I can truly love.
Rooted in Hebrew:
Established in Hebrew:
aman- to be firm, faithful, TRUE; to trust
amats- to be strong; be courageous
chazaq- to fasten upon, to seize
camak- to lean upon, take hold of, confirm
Established in Greek:
nomotheteo- to be founded, enacted
I love to study the meanings of words. I think it really helps get you into scripture and understand what is going on.
The Hebrew for rooted said to be "torn away". I think that is a perfect example of the journey with Christ. The deeper the relationship becomes the more earthly crap is pulled off of us. The Greek said..."to become stable"........isn't that interesting that they were opposites in meaning but both COMPLETELY NECESSARY if we desire to "to be strengthened with your power through His Spirit in your inner being."
The meanings of the word Established is where it really hits home for me. "to fasten upon......to lean apon.....firm...faithful." What a warm visual that is for me. To be established in love...to be fastened or leaning on Father so much that I am established in HIS LOVE. That we become faithful to Him.
So what does all this mean. Well, we were talking about Sunday school and why people go and why they don't. Many of you gave some very interesting comments that I enjoyed reading. But in the back of my mind I knew where God was taking this. See, I daily desire to be filled with His Spirit and I ask to be covered by the fruits of the Spirit so that I will look more like Christ. So if I am filled with the Holy Spirit and allowing room for God to work, then the more I lean on Him. The more He works through me and the more He "stabilizes me". The deeper my faith grows the more I fasten myself to Him. The result being Father making me rooted and established in love. A love that only He can give out to others through me.... Not earthly love......rooted, deep strong roots...based on the Word of God....LOVE.
The next part of that scripture that I have been chewing on is "and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
The comment was made that we could never be like Christ. Obviously we are not going to "be Christ" but scripture says that we are to be "Christ like". I don't think God would ask us to be "Christ-Like" if He was going to make it so unattainable that everyone fails at it. The above scripture talks about us KNOWING AND UNDERSTANDING LOVE above all other knowledge and causes us to be filled with the fullness of God. But I personally can't be filled with the fullness of God if I am not seeking God, if I am not in fellowship with God, if I am not ROOTED AND ESTABLISHED in God. I can not know that kind of Love otherwise.
The comment was also made that we need to just stop judging and accept people. To show mercy. The more and more I read that comment the more upset I became. Earthly mercy is not biblical mercy. They are nothing alike. Earthly mercy is seeing a problem and feeling bad about it...or saying "bless their hearts." and accepting people.....no excuse me....allowing people to just stay the same. That is not Biblical Mercy.
The Hebrew word for Mercy is Kaphar.....which means: TO COVER, TO PURGE AWAY, TO PARDON, TO PUT OFF...."RANSOM".
Biblical mercy is having the eyes to see that there is a problem and having the heart to do something about it. Mercy was what we all received when God saw that we were a world that needed saving. He saw the problem...or allowed the problem....sent His son as the solution so that we could live with Him in eternity. He didn't say..."oh they need saving, bless their hearts" and then go on about creating amazing ocean fish. NO! HE DID SOMETHING ABOUT IT. See mercy, true mercy is based on God's love. Seeing somebody in your Sunday school class that doesn't get it and seeking them out to disciple them is Mercy. Accepting them as they are...with no hope for change...is NOT MERCY. Seeing your friend deep in sin and letting them go at it alone is not mercy. Helping people excuse their sin so they feel really warm and fuzzy in Sunday school is not showing them mercy.
Mercy is based on Love. A love that comes from us being Rooted and Established in it. A love that is beyond all knowledge....true love that He gives us to care enough about somebody to want to help them grow. And you know what, it isn't judgemental when you are walking with the Lord and he gives you the supernatural ability to see something in some one's life that just doesn't line up. It is Father giving us eyes of discernment and all the tools we need to lead those right back to Him. That is Mercy! Don't be a coward and refuse to teach people truth.
I know I am writing a lot but I must end with the last portion of the scripture......after it says our favorite part about Him being able to do immeasurably more than we could ask or imagine........then it says "according to his power that is at work within us"......do you see how this is all coming together. That power that is at work within us comes from Father dwelling in us. And then the circle begins again.........He dwells, we are rooted, we then understand love, we are able to show true mercy, He works in us......
It all goes hand in hand. That is what I love about scripture.....In 1 Corinthians it says that "and now these three remain....faith, hope, and love...but the greatest of these is Love." I can not love others the way they were intended to be loved if I have not fellowship with Christ. If I try to love others in an earthly way then I either end up excusing their sin at times or just not caring about their spiritual life all together. He must dwell in me. Seems so daunting but the reality is that you just have to ask. Ask for Him to build up your Faith. Ask for Him to dwell within you, to increase your desire to be with Him. To show you how to Love like Him.
I have spent the last few days struggling so much on how to write this. But I just had a discussion with a friend about friendship and through that, God has just let my tears flow and the words fall out. Love...mercy...that is what I want to share about. If it take 2 posts then I will do it. If God says "make this a long one" then I WILL DO IT. Cause I desire above all else.......above marriage, motherhood, traveling, peace, joy, friendships.......to know God. To really know Him. I want something different and like Abraham....I want God to called me his friend. I do. I want intimacy with Him. Above all.
This whole thing with Sunday school started with the verses from Ephesians 3. Please read the entire portion. Now, I want to address all that is going on in this word but know that I can't......so i will try to focus and not become overwhelmed......ps. read it out loud!
Ephesians 3:14-21
"For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."
What does it mean to be rooted and established in love? This is the question that God has been repeating over and over to me. "Caroline, rooted.....established.....both past tense.......not rooting in love or establishing in love.....already there, already rooted, deep, strong".
...."out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith..." this verse before root/est. are what seem to be the most important. It says we will be strengthened by the Holy Spirit and as our faith grows....the more and more Christ dwells......the more He dwells the more we are strengthened through His power.
Does that make sense? When I am spending time with Father...talking to Him, confessing sins, chatting, studying, asking questions, reading His word, wanting to be more like Christ.......my faith increases. The more faith, the more He dwells with in me. The more He dwells in me, the more strength and power through the Holy Spirit is within me........................................................................if I am full of His power and strength....then I can truly love.
Rooted in Hebrew:
nathash- to tear away, be up-rooted, pluck up, pluck out, forsaken
sharash- to insert...deep, heel
Rooted in Greek:rhizoo- to root, TO BECOME STABLE....."to cause to take root"
Established in Hebrew:
aman- to be firm, faithful, TRUE; to trust
amats- to be strong; be courageous
chazaq- to fasten upon, to seize
camak- to lean upon, take hold of, confirm
Established in Greek:
nomotheteo- to be founded, enacted
I love to study the meanings of words. I think it really helps get you into scripture and understand what is going on.
The Hebrew for rooted said to be "torn away". I think that is a perfect example of the journey with Christ. The deeper the relationship becomes the more earthly crap is pulled off of us. The Greek said..."to become stable"........isn't that interesting that they were opposites in meaning but both COMPLETELY NECESSARY if we desire to "to be strengthened with your power through His Spirit in your inner being."
The meanings of the word Established is where it really hits home for me. "to fasten upon......to lean apon.....firm...faithful." What a warm visual that is for me. To be established in love...to be fastened or leaning on Father so much that I am established in HIS LOVE. That we become faithful to Him.
So what does all this mean. Well, we were talking about Sunday school and why people go and why they don't. Many of you gave some very interesting comments that I enjoyed reading. But in the back of my mind I knew where God was taking this. See, I daily desire to be filled with His Spirit and I ask to be covered by the fruits of the Spirit so that I will look more like Christ. So if I am filled with the Holy Spirit and allowing room for God to work, then the more I lean on Him. The more He works through me and the more He "stabilizes me". The deeper my faith grows the more I fasten myself to Him. The result being Father making me rooted and established in love. A love that only He can give out to others through me.... Not earthly love......rooted, deep strong roots...based on the Word of God....LOVE.
The next part of that scripture that I have been chewing on is "and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
The comment was made that we could never be like Christ. Obviously we are not going to "be Christ" but scripture says that we are to be "Christ like". I don't think God would ask us to be "Christ-Like" if He was going to make it so unattainable that everyone fails at it. The above scripture talks about us KNOWING AND UNDERSTANDING LOVE above all other knowledge and causes us to be filled with the fullness of God. But I personally can't be filled with the fullness of God if I am not seeking God, if I am not in fellowship with God, if I am not ROOTED AND ESTABLISHED in God. I can not know that kind of Love otherwise.
The comment was also made that we need to just stop judging and accept people. To show mercy. The more and more I read that comment the more upset I became. Earthly mercy is not biblical mercy. They are nothing alike. Earthly mercy is seeing a problem and feeling bad about it...or saying "bless their hearts." and accepting people.....no excuse me....allowing people to just stay the same. That is not Biblical Mercy.
The Hebrew word for Mercy is Kaphar.....which means: TO COVER, TO PURGE AWAY, TO PARDON, TO PUT OFF...."RANSOM".
Biblical mercy is having the eyes to see that there is a problem and having the heart to do something about it. Mercy was what we all received when God saw that we were a world that needed saving. He saw the problem...or allowed the problem....sent His son as the solution so that we could live with Him in eternity. He didn't say..."oh they need saving, bless their hearts" and then go on about creating amazing ocean fish. NO! HE DID SOMETHING ABOUT IT. See mercy, true mercy is based on God's love. Seeing somebody in your Sunday school class that doesn't get it and seeking them out to disciple them is Mercy. Accepting them as they are...with no hope for change...is NOT MERCY. Seeing your friend deep in sin and letting them go at it alone is not mercy. Helping people excuse their sin so they feel really warm and fuzzy in Sunday school is not showing them mercy.
Mercy is based on Love. A love that comes from us being Rooted and Established in it. A love that is beyond all knowledge....true love that He gives us to care enough about somebody to want to help them grow. And you know what, it isn't judgemental when you are walking with the Lord and he gives you the supernatural ability to see something in some one's life that just doesn't line up. It is Father giving us eyes of discernment and all the tools we need to lead those right back to Him. That is Mercy! Don't be a coward and refuse to teach people truth.
I know I am writing a lot but I must end with the last portion of the scripture......after it says our favorite part about Him being able to do immeasurably more than we could ask or imagine........then it says "according to his power that is at work within us"......do you see how this is all coming together. That power that is at work within us comes from Father dwelling in us. And then the circle begins again.........He dwells, we are rooted, we then understand love, we are able to show true mercy, He works in us......
It all goes hand in hand. That is what I love about scripture.....In 1 Corinthians it says that "and now these three remain....faith, hope, and love...but the greatest of these is Love." I can not love others the way they were intended to be loved if I have not fellowship with Christ. If I try to love others in an earthly way then I either end up excusing their sin at times or just not caring about their spiritual life all together. He must dwell in me. Seems so daunting but the reality is that you just have to ask. Ask for Him to build up your Faith. Ask for Him to dwell within you, to increase your desire to be with Him. To show you how to Love like Him.
Father this has been brutal for me this week. You were teaching me from all sides and it has taken days for me to be able to really understand it all. Everything points back to You. ABOVE ALL YOU DESIRE YOUR NAME TO BE GLORIFIED. When we are leaning against you....YOU ARE GLORIFIED! When we are loving others out of the overflow of your love....YOU ARE GLORIFIED. When we choose to go along side a bother or sister in Christ and disciple them......YOU ARE GLORIFIED! Make me desire to help people know what a real relationship with you is like. Help us to show real mercy to one another. Mercy that says "above all, I desire for you to know God so intimately that I am willing to give it all up.....". You are so good and I know this is a long post, so Father I pray in the Name of Jesus that you would close out all distractions as they read. Speak over my words...speak to each one of them personally. Give us the desire to be filled with your fullness. I love you, keep strengthening my roots and keep cutting off all the crap I choose to carry around. I want only you.