Sacrificial Love

 I will sing of the Lord’s unfailing love forever

    Young and old will hear of your faithfulness.

Your unfailing love will last forever.
    Your faithfulness is as enduring as the heavens.

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne.
    Unfailing love and truth walk before you as attendants.

Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship,
    for they will walk in the light of your presence, Lord.

Psalm 89: 1-2, 14-15 (NLT)

The sun is rising in the east these mornings when I ride to work and this week, the Pascal moon was setting in the west at the same time. God's faithfulness is as enduring as the heavens. As we celebrate another Holy Week and Easter season, we remember that Jesus was the epitome of righteousness, justice, unfailing love and truth.

John 1:17 states, "For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ."

I love the imagery in Psalm 89 which personifies Unfailing Love and Truth walking ahead as attendants of Righteousness and Justice. As humans we often demand justice without love and transparent truth. We are inclined to deny forgiveness, mercy and justice to those we deem inferior to ourselves or to those who we feel have wronged us. We sometimes struggle to forgive a brother or sister in our families or in our faith. Our own self-righteousness expressed in legalism, judgemental attitudes toward others, and feelings of superiority is not the righteousness of God.

As we observe another Easter, let us demonstrate the love of God expressed in Jesus Christ and extend unconditional love and forgiveness to others. 

1 John 3:14-18 summarizes this well.

We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. 

Anyone who does not love remains in death.

Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that 

no murderer has eternal life residing in him.

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. 

And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 

 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need 

but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 

 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech 

but with actions and in truth.

Have a Blessed Easter Weekend!