Sunday, March 9, 2008

Love & Rejection

Our small group is working through a video series by Beth Moore called "Living Beyond Yourself" which focuses on the fruit of the spirit. This past week, the topic was Love. I found it interesting that the focus of the week's study, however, was on rejection. For about 40 of the 60 minutes, she talked about rejection. She discussed three pictures of rejection from the different definitions from the original Greek and Hebrew: 1) To disapprove or refuce, 2) Vacant, and 3) To be spit out. She discussed the wounds of rejection and how we typically look to repair the rejection in one of two erroneous ways: 1) To get back what was rejected or 2) To seek revenge.

As we moved past the realities of our rejection, we studied how the Lord receives us regardless of whoever rejects us, but we tend to focus more on the rejection of others than the acceptance of Christ. Through accepting God's acceptance, we start the process of divine healing. I Peter 2:4-10 talks directly about how we are rejected by men, but chosen by God; that we are precious to him. We often lose sign of the two main sources of divine healing the SOVEREIGNTY of God and the SUPREMACY of God.

As each of us struggles from the wounds of rejection, may we each grab firmly to the truth that Jesus offers us "True" love and that "True love never fails (I Corinthians 13:8)." God's love for us will never fail us and the love that we offer others in the name of Christ will never drop away or fall. The "greatest of these is love" and that comes from the ability to allow God's love to fill the vacancy of rejection that many of us carry.

Although different, I felt God connecting some dots for me this week between this and the Sunday service where Pastor Bill spoke on a life of peace. He many clear that peace is not the absence of trouble, but the presence of God. Like the fruit of the Spirit and like love, our peace is dependent on our ability to allow the presence of God to pervade our hearts. Life in the Spirit is about battling for our heart.... let's fight the battle and actively guard our hearts for it is the well-spring of life.

May the Lord bless you with His Love that overcomes rejection. Have a great week!

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