Rich and Miserable

Do you know someone who is rich and miserable?  Someone who seemingly has everything he (or she) could possibly want or need, but is anything but a joyful person.  People are intended to be in relationship with God and with one another.  Jesus said it pretty plainly when He said that we are to love God with all our hearts, all our soul and all our minds.  And he added the second one is to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.  One problem could just be that many people do not love themselves.

What was the context of Jesus making these statements?  He was being asked, “What is the most important “rule” for us to follow?”  I don’t think even most Biblical scholars would argue against the idea that Jesus made a strong case for the importance of loving God and one another.  He seemed to live His entire life serving God and serving others. 

When Jesus was faced with His horrific sacrifice on the cross, He pleaded with His Father to be sure God’s will was for Jesus to die on the cross.  When Jesus received His answer, His response to God was simple, Your Will be Done.  Then, Jesus never waivered even for a moment during His imprisonment, the torturing Jesus received, and the temptation offered to Him of a way out by Pilate.  Jesus chose the cross by continually answering Pilate in a way that ensured Jesus would not be set free. 

Jesus loves God and loves us.  My love for God and for others seems so weak compared to His love.  I have made choices in my life that have disappointed people including my loved ones and family.  Some of my choices have hurt those I love the most.  I would like to make some excuses for my choices, but I know that will not help one bit.  I would like to say I am just a human and am imperfect and hope that offering this explanation will make things better.  While that description of me may be true, it doesn’t help the way I feel about myself nor does it necessarily help the way others feel about me.

Where does my help come from? I lift up my eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help.  Those words may seem corny to some.  Those words may seem plagiarized to others.  It is true, these words are not my original words.  Even though I first learned them from others, those words have become my own.  My help comes from God and His son, Jesus Christ.  In order to love myself, it helps so much to know He loves me just as I am.  He made me.  He even made me in His own image.  But like the prodigal son, I have strayed throughout my life from My God and Heavenly Father.  Every time I walk over the next hill to come home to God, He is there waiting for me to come home to Him.  He wants His lost son to return home to Him.  This is God’s plan for us and for me.

God knew we would wander. He was so aware of this that He gave us love even when we do not deserve to be loved.  God gave us mercy which means He chose not to punish us for our sins as we deserve.  If we ask God to give us what we deserve it may be a difficult and painful gift for us to receive.  God gives us mercy – love in spite of our imperfections.  If we are to honor God’s will, we need to give ourselves mercy and love ourselves and our neighbors.  Biblical Scholars may argue this point, but to me it is crystal clear.

Through the cross, God gave us something different than mercy.  God gave us grace.  God chose to bless us with grace in spite of our being undeserving.  God’s blessing of grace is forgiveness for our sins.  If you have not forgiven yourself for your sins, then please do so today.  If you don’t believe you can do it, lift your eyes and your heart up unto the hills to God to help you.  But, please don’t stop there.  Forgive your neighbors too.  We are to forgive as we have been forgiven.  We are to love as we have been loved. 

Love God.  Love one another.  Five simple words that can give you a great deal of joy.