THE EPISTLE OF ST. PAUL

Monthly newsletter of St. Paul Ev. Lutheran Church, Fort Dodge, Iowa

Our Mission Statement: Disciples of Christ Making Disciples for Christ 

  Volume XXXXV JANUARY 2024 Volume XXXXIIII

   Love Makes Us Do It


  A young girl was dying. Her only hope lay in a complete blood transfusion, but she had a very rare blood type. Only her brother, even younger than she, had the same type blood. His parents and doctors explained the situation to him, giving him time to ask questions. He agreed and, without delay, he was laid on a bed, the needle was pushed into his tiny vein, and slowly his blood seeped from his small body into the bag hanging from his bed. He lay quietly as the nurse stood next to him, ready to attend to any need he might have. “How do you feel?” she asked. “Ok,” he answered, “but, Nurse, when do I die?”


      What love this little boy had for his sister. What must he have thought when his own parents seemingly agreed, even asked him to sacrifice his life to save his sister’s?


      The boys’ love for his sister can help us see how much Jesus loves us. Jesus suffered abuse, torture, persecution, and death for all of us
. “Greater love has no one than this, that He lay down His life for His friends” (John 15:13). He demonstrated His tremendous love not because of our worthiness, but because He is a God of tremendous love. Jesus’ love for His heavenly Father and for us changed the world. Through His death and resurrection from that death, we through faith have received the forgiveness of our sins and life eternal. God’s love to us in Christ is that power that enables us to love Him. “We love because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19).


      The love of Jesus empowers us. Because of Jesus’ love, like the little boy, we can be a people responding out of love. Certainly, we give to needs such as our church budget, Christian causes, and people, but our primary reason for living as a Christian is out of love and commitment to Jesus. When there are opportunities to show love and encouragement, Jesus opens our eyes and hearts so we can respond to those needs. We express our gratitude and thanksgiving for our Lord and the love that He shows us every day. I find it interesting that Ash Wednesday is on Valentine’s Day. We especially see God’s love expressed in Jesus during the Lenten season. God’s love for us changed us from people who are lost to people who are in a deep relationship with our God.

 We live in difficult and changing times. How wonderful it is that, as Christians, we know that there is the certainty that Jesus always reaches out to us and loves us. May our lives continually and genuinely reflect His love for us..

Pastor Kendall Meyer



     


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