Well we’ve made it through chapter 12 of 1 Corinthians and now we are on the precipice of “a better way”. Pastor Steve told us yesterday that he’s leaving us on a cliff-hanger for next week but I’m going to try and prime the pump a little bit. We’ve spent several weeks discussing the Spiritual Gifts and Who sources them and why. We’ve discussed the purpose and plan that the Holy Spirit has as He distributes them and we have seen how the Trinity works together in unity throughout this process. Believers using their gifts are meant to be a reflection of God to the world. This is a beautiful thing when we are using our gifts according to His purposes; our gifts are used in love and people see that God is love. However, it is very ugly if we are not using them according to His purposes; our gifts are not used in love and people think that God is not love. We must do all we can to not allow our sinfulness to dictate how we utilize the gifts He has given us.

Because this is easy, right…allowing our sinfulness to take charge of how we operate? There is a lot of anger out in the world right now. Frustration. Disappointment. Anxiety too. The big problem is that it is not just out in the world, it’s manifesting itself in the church as well. If you know me well then you know I am not immune to this; I know I’ve felt these same emotions personally and allowed them to control my behavior. Historically, my default setting when I run into these issues is to start analyzing data in my head…then when that doesn’t fix the problem I analyze more data. I continue this process until either I “fix” the problem that was causing me these emotions or I get so far down the analysis rabbit hole that I forget why I started feeling that way in the first place. As I’ve matured as a Christian I like to think (hope) that I am plagued by these emotions less because I have a more robust understanding of who God is biblically and experientially. However, there are definitely times where I can operate on my default autopilot mode which is completely driven by my head and not my heart.

This is the total opposite of how we are called to live as Christians. The Apostle Paul writes in 1 Cor. 13:1, “Don’t be a gong!” (Author’s paraphrase) If we are allowing our sinfulness to control how we utilize our gifts we will be nothing more than an annoying noise to the world that actively drives people away from God rather than drawing people to Him. We are super familiar with this passage about love because it is read at almost every wedding we have ever attended, but this passage is so much bigger than that…this section of Scripture is not just for weddings. Paul is not giving pre-marital counseling here. This is an all-believers at all-times truism. I will also suggest that living without love is not only being a gong to those around you but it’s being a gong to God as well. To my shame, I confess I still struggle with this at times. If this is where you find yourself right now, I implore you to stop gonging and start loving. I pray this poem/song I wrote may help but most of all I pray that the One who loved us first would teach you personally. As always, thank you for your time and support! Blessings to you all!

Teach Me to Love

It’s easy for me to be trapped in my mind,

Feelings held captive and emotionally blind.

Knowledge and apathy each fight for a turn,

Which makes it harder and harder to simply yearn,

For You O Lord, For you O Lord.

 

Enthroned You sit,

so high above,

And Your ways O Lord,

are high above.

You love me from,

up high above.

Don’t let my love for You,

stay high above.

 

Out of my mind, and into my heart,

Two feet of distance but miles apart.

How can I bridge this infinite gap?

It’s a lifelong journey, but I need to step,

Towards You O Lord, Towards You O Lord.

 

Up from Your throne,

and down to Earth,

Your ways became mine,

while down on Earth.

You loved me enough,

to come down to Earth.

Help bring my love for You,

back down to Earth.

 

Jesus, my Savior, from Heaven sent,

I give you my all, not just a percent.

Spirit please teach me how to simply love,

Not to analyze and ponder, but to simply love

You my Lord, O You my Lord.

 

In my mind,

teach me to love,

And in my heart,

teach me to love

And in my soul,

teach me to love.

Like Father to child,

teach me to love.

 

With my mind,

I’m gonna love.

And with my heart,

I’m gonna love.

And with my soul,

I’m gonna love.

As Your child,

I’m gonna love.