Australian Thoughts at the Weekend. 16th May, 2009.

Australian Thoughts at the Weekend. 16th May, 2009.


IF YOU LOVE ME: SHOW IT !

This week we have thought about the new command of Jesus to “love one another just as he loved us”. I would think that most of us have heard this command many times and some of us have sung it.

A new commandment I give unto you,
That you love one another as I have loved you,
That you love one another as I have loved you.
By this shall all men know that you are My disciples,
if you have love one for another.
By this shall all men know that you are My disciples,
if you have love one for another.
- John 13:34-35
[Listen: http://www.geocities.com/athens/acropolis/3819/a_new_commandment.mid ]

There you are: people will know that we are Jesus Disciples as we show our love. We become Christians through God’s grace given through Jesus. When we determine that we will live for Jesus and become his Disciple then love must be seen.

It reminds me of an incident I wrote about a couple of years ago:

She walked into my marriage counselling office and carefully sat on the chair opposite me. Her baby was about 8 months old and he was asleep in his lightweight pram. She brushed her blonde hair back and gave me a lovely smile and she said “I don’t know if I should be here”. I thought well I am glad you are and you have certainly have improved the décor of this office. I asked her to tell me why she had made an appointment to see a Marriage Counsellor. (As training I worked as a secular marriage counsellor for a non-church organisation).

She told me that things were going great but there was one thing that worried her. She did not know if her husband really loved her. So we began to trace something of the history of their relationship. They had known each other for a couple of years before they married and had been married just on two years also. They enjoyed doing things together, and were enjoying establishing their own home. They both had good jobs until she had left work to have this baby. Her husband worked at the local hotel and since she had left work she would go and have lunch with him several times a week.

I began to wish that all the couples I saw in this office each Friday had a relationship like this.

I therefore said “this all sounds great, why do you think he doesn’t love you?” I jumped right in and said “Is there someone else?”

“Heavens no!” she said as if she was horrified I dared to suggest that. “I am sure there is no one else for him or for me” she said. She then said he says he loves me but he doesn’t act like it. She explained that the sexual part of their marriage was good (except when she was very pregnant and for a few weeks after) but somehow she still was not sure.

So we explored further. I got a picture of him sitting beside her on the lounge as she shelled peas and watched television. He sat with her as she did the gardening she enjoyed. He even helped with some gardening under her instructions. He always was proud to introduce her and now their son to his friends. I was getting the picture of a man who was deeply in love with this pretty woman and I said so. I said that without talking to him, it appeared they had a great marriage.

She said “that’s just it. I feel we do have a great marriage but I am never sure that he loves me”.

I said “that’s very interesting why do you feel that he doesn’t love you? You have painted a picture of a guy who loves you, it seems a near to prefect marriage”.

“What is he not doing?” I asked. She then told me of her European background. How her parents and all her relatives were people who touched to express deep emotions. They were people who touched, held hands, hugged and kissed appropriately to express joy and love. Her man did not do that. Sure they often embraced and kissed passionately as couples do. But at other times he seemed happy to be with her but not touch her. He did not allow his love for her to lift his hands out of his pockets or his arms from his side. He sat beside her on the lounge or in the garden but rarely reached out to touch her.

It was all about body language. Her expectations were grounded in the traditions of her native culture. They were not being met by the Australian who expressed his love in other ways, but certainly not in the familiar and lovely, loving touch she expected. I, an Aussie bloke reassured her by what she had told me about her Aussie bloke that he loved her. I suggested she talk to him about her culture and show him there’s more to loving than what he probably had seen in his family and culture. It was really “If you love me then show me how much in ways I understand”.

After Jesus had been crucified and rose again, He appeared to the Disciples beside the sea, where they had been fishing all night. They ate a fish breakfast on the beach. The story continues from John’s Gospel:

15After breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?"
"Yes, Master, you know I love you."
Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."
16He then asked a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?"
"Yes, Master, you know I love you."
Jesus said, "Shepherd my sheep."
17Then he said it a third time: "Simon, son of John, do you love me?"
Peter was upset that he asked for the third time, "Do you love me?" so he answered, "Master, you know everything there is to know. You've got to know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Feed my sheep. (John 21. The Message).

In this beautiful incident, Jesus confronts Peter who had betrayed him and asks about his love. Peter is embarrassed at all the asking but Jesus understands and restores Peter to the leadership of His Disciples.

How would we answer?

[Listen: http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/songs/songs_121.mp3 ]

Lord I come to You, let my heart be changed renewed
Flowing from the grace that I've found in You.
Lord I've come to know the weaknesses I see in me
Will be stripped away by the power of Your love.

Hold me close, let Your love surround me.
Bring me near, draw me to Your side.
And as I wait, I'll rise up like the eagle,
And I will soar with You, Your Spirit leads me on
In the power of Your love.

Lord unveil my eyes let me see You face to face:
The knowledge of Your love as You live in me.
Lord renew my mind as Your will unfolds my life
In living everyday by the power of Your love.
Geoff Bullock


MY JESUS, MY SAVIOUR
[Look and Listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftuKUV8R-7Y ]
Lord, there is none like You.
All of my days I want to praise
The wonders of Your mighty love.
My comfort, my shelter,
Tower of refuge and strength,
Let every breath, all that I am,
Never cease to worship You.
Shout to the Lord all the earth, let us sing
Power and majesty, praise to the King.
Mountains bow down
And the seas will roar
At the sound of Your name.
I sing for joy at the work of Your hands.
Forever I'll love You, forever I'll stand.
Nothing compares to the
Promise I have in You.
Darlene Zschech.


[Listen: http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_2110.mp3 ]

My Jesus, I love thee, I know thou art mine,
For thee all the pleasures of sin I resign;
My gracious Redeemer, my Saviour art thou,
If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.

I love thee because thou hast first loved me,
And purchased my pardon on Calvary's tree;
I love thee for wearing the thorns on thy brow,
If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.

I will love thee in life, I will love thee in death,
And praise thee as long as thou lendest me breath;
And say, when the death-dew lies cold on my brow:
If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.

In mansions of Glory and endless delight,
I'll ever adore thee and dwell in thy sight;
I'll sing with the glittering crown on my brow:
If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.
William Ralph Featherstone (1846-73)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 357

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