Loving Others

I truly enjoy home improvement stores such as Home Depot and Lowe's.  I could wander for hours through the aisles dreaming of owning this tool or that, what project could be accomplished, or having a workshop full of the newest and best gadgets and tools available.  I know what I want and I know how get what I want.  In a very real sense I know how to show myself love.  And loving ourselves is not a problem for most of us, including disciples of Christ.

In Matthew 22:34-40, Jesus tells us that the greatest commandment is to love God with all of our being and that the second commandment is the same, to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.

Who is our neighbor?  Why do I need to love them?  What does that love look like?  How much do I love myself? How much should I love my neighbor?  Are there ever exceptions to the rule?

Join us this week at ElmCreek Community Church as we strive to discover what it means and looks like to love our neighbor as much as we love ourselves.  May we each be prayerfully prepared to hear what the Spirit has to say through His Word.

Striving to know Christ and make Him known.

Pastor Mark

Loving God

What is love?  On the surface it is a very simple question.  And yet deep down it is extremely complex and complicated.  How does one put into words the full definition of love?  One might say it is impossible to define love because love is an action, not words.  And yet the words of a love poem can deeply touch the heart of a loved one.

What does it mean to love our family members, our children, parents, spouses, and siblings?  What does it mean to love and have lost?

What is love?  Is it an emotion?  An action?  A moment?  A lifetime?  Or is it all these things at once?

It is difficult to define love in our everyday life, but attempting to understand what it means to love our Creator God is even more so.  And yet, Jesus calls His people to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37, ESV).  Quite a heavy load to carry when it comes to discipleship!

Join us this week as we explore, study, and understand the greatest commandment in God’s Word.  May the Spirit give us an understanding and a desire to strive to live out His truth and call to love Him.

Striving to know Christ and make him known,

Finishing Well

John Stephen Akjwari, a world class distance runner, competed in the marathon at the 1968 Olympic games in Mexico City.  As author Sandy Grant writes, “Approximately 19 km into the 42 km race, there was jostling between some runners and he fell badly.  He wounded his knee and his shoulder also hit hard against the pavement.  In fact, his leg was bleeding and his knee was apparently dislocated.”  Medical staff, after tending to his injuries, urged him to withdraw from the race.

However, Akjwari continued running while at times slowly limping in his effort to finish the race.  Of the 57 competitors who completed the race he finished last, well over an hour later than the winner.

As he entered the stadium only a few thousand people remained to witness his crossing the finish line.  When asked later why he ignored the advice of the medical staff to withdraw, Akjwari stated, “My country did not send me 5,000 miles just to start the race; they sent me to finish the race.”

Every disciple of Christ is called to finish the race of life well.  What does this look like?  How can we know that we are finishing well?  Why is it important to finish well?  What is the reward for those who finish well?

Join us this week as we look at 2 Timothy 4:6-8 in search of the answers to these and other questions.  May we be prayerfully prepared to hear the call of the Holy Spirit as we dig into God’s Word and may we grow to understand how God is calling us to finish  well.

Striving to know Christ and make him known.