The Pastor's Pen - The Zelienople Church of the Nazarene

"Love, Sweet Love"
February, 2004

What a theme for the month of February. Depending on who you are or what you forget, the theme may be “Love Sweet Love” or “Groundhog Day”. It is amazing that in our culture the focus is on Love. The messages sent to our sweethearts are of love. Gifts promote a message of love. Songs reflect the hope of love. Acts of kindness reveal a hint of love. Yet the reality is people are starving

for love. Why the starvation you ask? The answer is quite simple. All are evidence of love, selfish love, that is surface-stuff only.

I recently read a story about the first man Mother Theresa loved. He was the first person she found helpless, sick, in pain, filthy and unloved when she started her work in India. She had her sisters take him to their humble shelter and they cared for (unselfish love) this man in his dying moments. When he opened his eyes and saw Mother Theresa washing and carefully removing dead smelling decayed skin he muttered, "Why?" Her simple response was, "You're loved!" Have you ever wondered why the world searches for this type love but never finds it? The answer is oh so simple. You cannot give what you do not have! But, it is what the world wants to give and receive.

Yes, It is true the world wants to know how to give this love and to receive this love. They have tried to create it, mimic it, buy it, sell it and even try to claim they have a hold of it. Yet, without the love of Jesus Christ it is impossible to love. 1 John states, "If you say you love God, but hate your brother, you are a liar." This Love, which the world really desires, comes from Christ. It is identified in many ways. Compassion, serving others, laying down your life for another. It is seen and experienced by forgiving and asking for forgiveness. It is sensed and known when you are reconciling the world to Jesus and especially when you do things like I shared of Mother Theresa. You see, some may read of Mother Theresa Loving a man and have a totally warped and strange sense of this Nun loving a man. The world’s view of what this love is all about is a gross misunderstanding of what love really is. Jesus challenges you to love those who do not love you. Give without expecting a gift back. Go the extra mile beyond what someone would expect. Lay down your life (even pride) and love one another. Bear one another’s burden and so fulfill the law of Christ. All these, little statements are from scripture. God’s book of LOVE.

Many of you already possess this love which the world wants to know and experience. Even as imperfect as we are, we can share this perfect love. Romans 5:8 says, "while we were yet sinners Christ died for us." That is love! You can give this gift!

-Rev. Gene Hill, Pastor