Grow. Pray. Study. Daily Guide from the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection - Friday, 3 January 2014 – “Love's divine qualities”

Grow. Pray. Study. Daily Guide from the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection - Friday, 3 January 2014 – “Love's divine qualities”

Daily Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13: 4 Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. 7 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Reflection Questions:

"Love keeps no score of wrongs" is a difficult ideal, perhaps an impossible one to live fully in this life. Paul knew that: "Now we know in part," he said in verse 9. But ideals matter. You can see the results of unchecked "keeping score" by looking at Palestinians and Israelis, Hutus and Tutsis, and dozens of other hostile ethnic groups. Nearer home, you can study thousands of broken relationships. And remember: Paul sent these words originally to church members who were feuding over status and rank.

How do the other qualities of love Paul lists shape communities and relationships in which keeping no score of wrongs becomes a realistic, joy-filled way to live? When have you seen congregations, or marriages and families that seemed to come close to living out these ideals? What intentional choices and positive actions are important to help us live into mutual support and respect?

This passage gives us a compact list of how love does and does not act. Which of the items listed do you value most from someone else? Which is the most challenging for you to offer to another person? How are you opening your life to God's influence so that you can grow in these qualities?

Today's Prayer:

Loving Lord, every day I want to love as you love. Every day, at some point, I fall short of that ideal. But every day your love enfolds me, and I trust it to help me keep growing toward the kind of life you call me to live. Amen.

Friday, 3 January 2014 – Insight from Darren Lippe

Darren Lippe helps facilitate Journey 101 “Loving God” classes, guides a 6th-grade Sunday school class, is a member of a small group & a men’s group, and serves on the Curriculum team.

Ah, a new year is upon us.  Which of course means the psuedo-obligatory New Year’s Resolutions, which some might consider as simply a “To Do List” for the first week of January.

Some resolve to exercise more, eat less, or improve our behavior. Like the old preacher story of the parishioner who vowed to be more cautious with her words & not put her foot in his mouth in 2014; then promptly followed up by saying to him, “I’m guessing yours is to lose weight.”

As one ponders New Year’s pledges, it is easy to imagine resolutions for some of our favorite Biblical friends.

·        Noah: Not going to hear me complain about the lack of precipitation this summer; No Sir! (After his Oceans of Fun experience, seems apt – Genesis 6:9-7:24)

·        Joshua: Going to really practice playing my ram’s horn & join the Israelite Marching Band, a.k.a. the “Pride of the Promised Land.” (Joshua 5:13-6:20)

·        Esau: A foodie no more.  Tomorrow I start my diet; I won’t let food dictate my fate. (Esau traded his birthright for red stew; should have held out for Oklahoma Joe’s – Genesis 25:19-34)

·        Bathsheba:  Select a tile color already & finally finish my indoor bathroom renovation project.  DIY! (This could have avoided a lot of temptations – 2 Samuel 11)

·        Jeremiah: Quit surfing the channels & getting stuck on a SAD-TV movie.  No more “Old Yeller,” “Beaches,” or “Brian’s Song” for me in 2014. (Jeremiah, a.k.a. the “Weeping Prophet,” could probably stand a break from the tearjerker genre – Lamentations)

·        King Solomon: I’m going to read Walden’s Pond by Henry David Thoreau & block my QVC channel. (Simplicity was not Solomon’s strong suit – 1 Kings 10:14-29)

·        Lot’s Wife: Less Salt (A sodium-free life would probably be a blessing for Lot & his family; no truth to the rumor that Lot’s Wife was the original Morton Salt Girl – Genesis 19:23-26)

·        Elisha: Put aside my pride & join Hair Club for Men in 2014 (Perhaps the follicly-challenged Elisha could benefit from this resolution, though one could argue he was more upset that the punks were mocking a prophet of God – 2 Kings 2:23-24)

·        Samson: Ditto! (This shave & a haircut definitely cost more than 2 bits – Judges 16:17-19)

·        The Teen-Aged Jesus: Be sure to regularly tell the folks where I am & with whom. (This would resonate with parents of teenagers even today – Luke 2:41-52)

In this spirit, Paul offers us some excellent resolutions for us to strive for in 2014:

§  Care more for others than self

§  Quit wanting what I don’t have.  Rejoice in what I do have

§  Stop bragging/boasting & don’t revel in the failures of others

§  Don’t keep score of the wrongs of others

§  Quit looking back

§  Look for the best in others & ourselves

Trust God.  Always.

Amen.

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United Methodist Church of the Resurrection

13720 Roe Avenue

Leawood, KS 66224 United States

(913)897-0120

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