All Things Anne

Emily brought it to our attention yesterday that one year ago today, we ran off to Oregon to see Grandpa who was doing poorly. Then in June we went out there for a tour. In November, Mom and Joe went out there again because Grandpa was truly dying. Then on November 17, Grandpa left this world.

Time goes by so fast. You can’t do anything to slow it down.

Ephesians 5:15-16 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

What then should you do? Consider the foremost commandment:

Mark 10:28-31 Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?”
Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

I suppose love is a good place to start then. Love God, love others. What does it mean to love God?

John 14:15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments.

Think love isn’t a big deal? Check this out:

1 John 4:7-11 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

and…

1 Peter 4:7-9 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

Hey…if love covers a multitude of sins, I say everybody could use more loving! If you love God, you will do what He says. If He says to love your neighbor, you will. If you love your neighbor, you will be looking out for his better interest above yours. If you love your neighbor, you won’t be focussing on yourself. If you love your neighbor, you can look past his faults to see a creation of God’s who needs the Truth, no matter if the Truth seems harsh.

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

For instance, if your neighbor was about to be run over by a speeding car, but he was talking to you and you didn’t want to interrupt him because that would be rude, he would soon be run over by the truth of that speeding car. Truth isn’t always easy. In fact, it’s rarely easy. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t share the Truth.

Ephesians 4:9-16 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

How about some “truth in love” in action?

Jude 22, 23 And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.

James 5:19, 20 Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.

Annnd…I don’t know if I really have a point, other than use your time wisely: love God and love others.