Monday, August 1, 2011

Where is the love?

In 2003, the Black Eyed Peas asked us, "Where is the love?". A catchy tune, an interesting video of fly posting. Is that all that this is, or is there something more to their question? I thought it was fascinating to see pop culture asking us to think about something so profound. So real and something that each person in their deepest questioning can ask... 
The lines that really, really stand out for me when I hear this song are: 


People killin', people dyin' Children hurt and you hear them cryin' Can you practice what you preach And would you turn the other cheek  
Father, Father, Father help us Send us some guidance from above 'Cause people got me, got me questionin' Where is the love?


So far this year, we have had so many horrific attacks globally, the most recent being the Norway shooting. One could ask:  Where is the love?


Closer to home, I have a friend who was beaten up in town simply because he is gay. Again, Where is the love


Indeed, where is the love? Where has this wonderful love that we as Christians have been shown vanished off to? How are Christians, who are to be the body of Christ, the light in a darkened world. As Paul even wrote in Philippians that [Christians] are to "shine among them like stars in the sky". 


See that? SHINE like STARS... Not hide away like cowards or something. 


What is it that we have got to shine about, what is this love that WE so called believers are to be sharing with the world? (I include myself in this 'so called believer' bracket...) 


This love that we have, it is not a regular, run of the mill ordinary love that we can just take or leave... 


It is the most powerful, redeeming love that can be seen. 


We love, because He [God] first loved us. That is the love that we have! 


That is the love that we have got to shout about.... 


This love, sent Jesus Christ to the cross to die in our place... WHILE we were still sinners. If that isn't love, I don't know what is. 


So then, what impact should this love have on our churches, on our 
communities, on our families, on every single relationship that we have?