 In the 22nd chapter of Matthew Jesus was being confronted by the authorities of the day. In an attempt to trip Him up, they asked Jesus to identify the greatest commandment. Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40) “Love” is such an over-used word. It almost never carries any depth in our society because, as a people, we have a tragically limited connection with God, Who is Love. In my blessed life I have the joy of knowing the love of my children and of my grandchildren. The love Deb and I share is a daily blessing. The love of my family, as a whole, strengthens it all. And it doesn’t end there. You, my brothers and sisters in the faith, stand with me in the love of our Savior, Jesus. This is a magnificent panoply of blessings. We have stepped into the season of Lent again. No greater nor more perfect action of love ever existed (nor ever will exist) than the path our Savior Jesus took for our salvation. There’s an old Lutheran Hymnal (first published in 1941) which has a hymn for the Lenten season titled “Alas and Did My Savior Bleed.” The first verse says “Alas and did my Savior bleed, and did my Sovereign die. Would He devote that Sacred Head for such a worm as I?” The answer, of course, is “YES HE DID.”  One day … one blessed day to come … we will all step from this time and place into our heavenly home. On that day, because of the blessing of Faith given to us by the Holy Spirit, we will bow in holy gratitude for the Faith. On that day we will see our Lord Jesus as He truly is. On that day we will be in the joy-filled presence of our Heavenly Father and we will be given to know what Love truly is.
While we wait for that day of glory, we can now enjoy “Thank You prayer time” with Jesus about the Love with which He has filled our lives. +Pastor Rod Comments are closed.
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-Meet Pastor Rod-
Pastor Rod, a life-long Lutheran, graduated from the University of Minnesota and Concordia Theological Seminary.
As a ‘retired Pastor’, Rod stays busy serving local pulpits, leading worship in Senior resident facilities, and writing for the blog. Pastor Rod lives in Savannah with his wife Deb along with their four- legged furry children (their doggies of course). With Deb, Pastor Rod especially loves to travel spending time with children & grandchildren. But most notably, Pastor Rod looks great in a hat! Categories
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