Re: Reply all…

Albert Bogle December 29, 2024 10 4

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1 John 4: 16-21 (NRSVA)

16 So we have known and believe the love that God has for us.

God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. 17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgement, because as he is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. 19 We love because he first loved us. 20 Those who say, ‘I love God’, and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. 21 The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.

It’s a strange thing isn't it thinking about the new year? It’s even stranger, and even fearful, when we think about how we divide up our existence into seconds, then minutes and hours and days, and weeks and months and years, and call it time. 

Somehow we need to place ourselves in relation to what has been and what has still to come. There in lies the problem. We cannot change the past  and we cannot be sure of the future — not knowing causes anxiety and fear.  

Now, if you’re feeling anxious here is a brilliant piece of advice from the Apostle John.  He suggests that we abide in love.  This word abide has its roots in the idea of a place of safety and security. To abide is to stay secure in a place. John writing in this epistle suggests if we abide in love there is no room for fear, because perfect love casts out all fear.

So don’t be disheartened at the end of this year, if things haven’t worked out the way  you wanted. Why not change your address? For the coming year go and abide with love!

To live in love means to live in God. It means to start looking outwards, living with new feelings, like acceptance, joy, compassion. These are the emotions of love.  Where love is — jealousy , guilt, shame, anger, and anxiety, begin to move out.  You see love changes everything.  Re-set this year with God at the centre of your life.

Prayer:

Dear God

I got your email

I didn’t want to open it

I thought you would judge me

I have been paralysed with guilt

Ashamed, angry and screwed up with jealously

I took courage into both hands

Clicked on the mouse 

Opened the email

And love flooded the screen

It flowed into my soul

It washed all over me

All my fears have gone

I’ve even changed my email address

albert @ love dot god

It has a ring of confidence about it — don’t you think?

You’re right

Perfect love casts out all fear 

Bring on 2025