The Disguise by WJ

So....God disguised Himself, first as a baby in a manger, then as a young boy growing up in Nazareth, and finally as a young man walking the hills of Galilee. No one had any idea God had come to live among them. Because of that no one cowered in fear. People with broken lives were drawn to Him, not repelled. His followers were secure enough in His presence to be genuine, even when that revealed lust for power or arrogance. Now God could experience the relationship He'd always wanted...and through it free them from sin.

Agape Part 2

How do we get there? We trust… we distrust … we trust again…and again, until we know that we know we are loved.

Twice Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him using the word Agape (a selfless love). Peter obviously in light of his most recent failure was somewhat insecure with the question and couldn’t respond in the affirmative. He responded with “Lord, you know all things, you know that I love you like a brother.” He used the word phileo, a nice word for love but not the response Jesus was wanting. I find it interesting that the third time Jesus posed the question He himself lowered the ante. “Peter, Do you love me as a brother?” I think Jesus was and is still looking for agape in all of us…but some how He is OK with us in the process. As I mentioned, I am along way off it seems from agape myself. I believe that He is Love (agape) and that I am in the process of becoming Love (agape). I think He is OK with that in me as well.

It is also interesting that the Lord didn’t shame Peter. I think Jesus liked the honesty and lack of pretense in Peter’s answer and thus rephrased the question using the lesser form of the word love. But Jesus three times asked him to feed His sheep. That was going to take a lot of love, brotherly phileo love and selfless agape love. He was looking down the road a way with great expectations and would not be disappointed.

Jesus seemed OK with the insecurity He was getting from Peter as to the question of Love because He saw down the road and knew that this relationship of trust was maturing and at some point Peter’s love would also mature into agape. He was able to look down the road and saw complete selfless love in the way Peter would chose to be crucified. He explained to Peter that at his death he would be led where he didn’t want to go, indicating the type of selfless death by which Peter would glorify God. (side note- it appears there is a kind of death that brings glory to God)

Here is the point I think Jesus is making about all of us but especially me. He loves me like I am, not like I should be and will be. He loves sinners, He really does. He loves sinners because He knows He is the antidote for their sin and our relationship will mature into the full grown relationship of loving sons and daughters that He dreamed of long before we were born.

It is so like the story of the time the prostitute came in during lunch and broke the perfume vial and anointed Jesus feet and the other one about and her washing Jesus feet and drying them with her hair. The Bible doesn’t let us in on her motives. It seems her motives were obvious to every one in the room except Jesus. We do know that the disciples’ motives often weren’t pure as the wind driven snow. They all had ulterior motives and grandiose ideas about their futures. Would it be unreasonable to assume that maybe her motives weren’t as well? She was a new believer and follower of Jesus. She had obviously been blown away by Him, God in disguise. She had experienced love like she had never known before in her whole life. This man was different than all of the others. I don’t know what her motives were. But she was on the journey of her life and all she wanted was Jesus. She didn’t care what any one thought or said. She lavished her love on Him.

I am thinking Jesus wasn’t overly concerned what her motives were. It was a non issue. She was learning about love, the most powerful force in the universe. Immaturity is such a non issue. God loves all of us as we are and even our failures or immaturity don’t disqualify us. Jesus thoroughly loves us while in the thick and the thin of our lives. It is very interesting that whatever her motives were, this act was not looked on disparagingly by the master. He was more than OK with it. He highly praised her for her shameless display of affection.

I picture the Father hanging my pimply faced picture on His fridge next to His Son… anticipating, child, friend, bride.

Becoming Love Agape Style Requires Absolute Trust

Peter, on the beach after the cross, was asked by the Lord, "do you love me?" That’s a strange question for a God. Typically a God would expect fear or obedience but the question was "love," agape (selfless love), not phileo (brotherly love). Peter was asked twice about agape love and couldn't respond in the affirmative. Jesus finally asked if Peter loved Him like a brother, like a friend. I recently heard it suggested (Wayne Jacobson) that Peter's response, having just failed the biggest test of his life to date, was because of insecurity.

I used to think it was humility or self-deprecation. "No, I phileo you, love you like a friend." I thought I understood this because I too know I don't have Agape love for the Lord. I am motivated by self interest mostly. I like him a lot but often it is evident that I seem to like me more. I like the feeling I have when He is near. I think I do a lot out of rote or duty and usually when convenient or in the early morning when my day is fresh. I find it easy to choose my way in temptation or my strength in a tight spot. Trusting Him in those seasons is still over my head. The lies I buy into sound like this “maybe He is holding out on me” or “maybe I’m missing out on some thing” or “I can handle this” or “maybe he isn’t going to show up” or the root lie “does He love me?” (Is He there, does He even care, can I trust Him? Hmmm….sounds like a garden scene.

However, some how I think what Wayne said may be right. Peter was insecure. He didn’t have the right answer…the one the Lord wanted…the one God has wanted from us since, well since our fall in the garden. Loving Him with heart, soul, mind and strength. “Peter, do you agape me?” He knew he wasn’t trust worthy. It was a fresh, searing revelation for him. It may have been humility and brokenness. He was definitely honest… no pretense. He was insecure.

Is God asking for Agape from me? And if so, what will it take for me to get there?

How can I attain to that kind of security? Can I trust Him?

He loves me yea, yea, yea

It is so good to be free from condemnation, fear, second guessing and shame. The best news in all the world today is that I can't miss it. God will complete what He started in my life and it will be good. God loves me even in my mistrusting, even in my mistakes, even in my sin. He's not taken off guard. He is not disillusioned with me. He had no illusions in the first place.
How do I know God loves sinners?
Because He loves me.

Such patience, such mercy. He really loves me just like I am right now with all my pimples, failure to trust, immaturity and sin. He hates sin with a passion. He hates what unbelief and distrust bring into our lives. He hates what it does to our relationship and so He takes even my sin and uses it to weave a thing of beauty. He is the relentless redeemer. He always has the last word.
His love is amazing, steady and unchanging, His love is a mountain firm beneath my feet. And I am learning to trust. I am learning to believe. I am learning that He is Good and with holds no good thing from me. The enemy would like me to believe other wise but I learning even through my failures that He is completely trust worthy.

Think about it. Eve's failure to trust the heart of God for her unleashed the beginning of shame and the downward spiral and entrapment by sin for all of us. But that didn't mess up the plan of God which was already in play before the world was created. The fall didn't catch God by surprise. God had such confidence that He would have the last word that He set the tree in the middle of the garden, not hidden at the periphery some where.

God is fearless! His love is fearless!