In my studdies in preparation for this week I keep getting directed back to walking in Love and every time I get deeper in conviction for not following through with this basic principle in my life.  I had prepared  very basic outline based on Ephesians 5: 1-2

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Now this week I have been confronted with how far reaching love goes.  Walking in Love is much more confronting to my life than I ever imagined.   

I Corinthians 13 is much more than a “marriage verse” it has deeper meaning as we walk in Love.  

Love is … Patient, Kind.  Does not envy. Does not boast. Humble. Not rude. Not self-seeking. Not easily angered. Keeps no record of wrongs. Does not delight in evil. Rejoices with the truth. Always protects. Always trusts. Always hopes.  Always perseveres. Never fails.

We are to walk in Love even as we confront sin.  We are to walk in love even when our nature is to walk in the self.  We are to walk in love even when it is not “the right” thing to do.

VERY difficult.  I will go on preaching to myself.

I was asked for another “first” this morning… my first funeral.  This fits well with my recent study on “God light is” from 1 John.  I am amazed as “The light” catches the fog and exposes it for yet a brief second before it is gone.  A hard morning for certain.

I knew I had done it, just as the words escaped my lips.  I punished myself as I finished the sentence.  The crush, the hurt, the pain was obvious, I could see it on her face.  I said I was “sorry” but the damage had been done.

We speak them all the time.  Reckless words.  Scripture reminds us to be cautious with our tongues to hold silent when our nature is to speak.

I have done it, you have done it.  O be careful little lips what you say….

Proverbs 17:28
Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent,
and discerning if he holds his tongue.

In the Torah a woman who had given birth to a male child was unclean for 7 days and required to wait an additional 33 days to be clean enough to approach the temple and begin a ritual cleansing.  February 2nd is the 40th day from Christmas and marks Mary’s return to the temple for worship and presentation of the Christ child.   This is a well documented event and had great significance on our worship and study.

As Christians we focus on Christ and not Mary.  In catholic tradition the emphasis is given to the “blessed virgin” but we can for a moment set aside that tradition of the Catholic church and look at it for what it is in the scripture.

Luke 2:22-40

And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, ”Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, ”a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.”

Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,

“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”

And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,

“Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.

So the question today is, do we teach this celebration to our children or do we through the baby out with the bathwater?

Want to read more? Check out the Wikipedia article!

The Name: We have been seeking a name for some time and it has recently become a consensus that we use the name “Living Stones” as our church and ministry name.  The passage that this is taken from is in 2 Peter 2:4-6

As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says:

   ”See, I lay a stone in Zion,
      a chosen and precious cornerstone,
   and the one who trusts in him
      will never be put to shame.

I love the picture. 

We are to come to Him, the Living Stone. 

We are to be like “Living Stones”

We are to be built up as a spiritual house.

What else could we take but the name Living Stones as we continue our fellowship together?

Robert E Griffin
Studying on “Worship” and how we “Praise” God, I was more than a little shaken in my strong dispensational thinking to see a continuing worship from the days of Moses to David to Isaiah’s prophecies of the Messiah to the end of Revelation’s scene in heaven.  It was the SAME!

I always wanted to compartmentalize praise and worship, and divide the Church from anyone else. But from beginning to end, IT IS THE SAME SONG for all of God’s people. And God’s people are the same – from beginning to end!

While God may have given differing commands and requirements for people in different ages, ALL of God’s people are one, and ALL are singing the same song!  We are the Church of the Firstborn, God’s people!

 Exodus 15:1-2 “I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously.

The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him a habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.”

 Psalm 118:14 “The LORD is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.”

 Isaiah 12:2 “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid:
for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.”

 Revelation 15:3, “Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints”

 From beginning to end, we see the “Church” (ALL of God’s people of ALL ages) singing the same song that is nothing more or less than the Gospel elucidations that we experience now!

 Published w/o permission

Psalm 145
David’s Praise

I lift you high in praise, my God, O my King! and I’ll bless your name into eternity.

I’ll bless you every day,
and keep it up from now to eternity.
God is magnificent; he can never be praised enough.
There are no boundaries to his greatness.
Generation after generation stands in awe of your work;
each one tells stories of your mighty acts.
Your beauty and splendor have everyone talking;
I compose songs on your wonders.
Your marvelous doings are headline news;
I could write a book full of the details of your greatness.
The fame of your goodness spreads across the country;
your righteousness is on everyone’s lips.

God is all mercy and grace—
not quick to anger, is rich in love.

God is good to one and all;
everything he does is suffused with grace.

Creation and creatures applaud you, God;
your holy people bless you.
They talk about the glories of your rule,
they exclaim over your splendor,

Letting the world know of your power for good,
the lavish splendor of your kingdom.

Your kingdom is a kingdom eternal;
you never get voted out of office.

God always does what he says,
and is gracious in everything he does.

God gives a hand to those down on their luck,
gives a fresh start to those ready to quit.

All eyes are on you, expectant;
you give them their meals on time.

Generous to a fault,
you lavish your favor on all creatures.

Everything God does is right—
the trademark on all his works is love.

God’s there, listening for all who pray,
for all who pray and mean it.

He does what’s best for those who fear him—
hears them call out, and saves them.

God sticks by all who love him,
but it’s all over for those who don’t.

My mouth is filled with God’s praise.
Let everything living bless him,
bless his holy name from now to eternity!

Through humble people, redeem your world, O God. Let the mountains be leveled off!
End our pride and take away our arrogance: save us from false hope and unwarranted presumption.

Through faithful people, redeem your world, O God. Let the crooked be made straight!
Forgive our sin, and pardon our wrongdoing; defeat evil and overcome the power of death.

Through saved people, redeem your world, O God. Let the rough be made smooth!
Help us grow in understanding, and give us wisdom to discern that which is good and true.

Through sanctified people, redeem your world, O God. Let all people see the salvation of our God.
Redeem your world, and make all things new, and bring us into your holy and perfect presence, now and for all eternity.

Keep us humble and faithful. Save us and sanctify us, O God.
For the sake of Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord. Amen.

George Vander Weit is pastor of Fuller Avenue Christian Reformed Church, Grand Rapids, MichiganXX