Heart of Joy and Sorrow

Don’t get me wrong; we can learn a lot from animals by looking at the way they live their lives, wandering the Earth without a worry and trusting in their creator to take care of them (Matthew 6:25-34, Ecclesiastes 3:16-22). However, what sets us apart from animals is the fact we were created in the image of God (Genesis 1:25-31, Psalm 8:3-9). But what does, “the image of God” even mean?

Who even is God? Although we will never fully understand who God is, we can trust what He says about Himself in the Bible (Job 26, Isaiah 55:8-9, 1 Timothy 3:12-14). Before us, there was only God (John 1:1-5). He was a relational being who had all this love in His heart with nobody to give it to (Romans 8:37-39). I cannot even begin to imagine how lonely that was. In the same way, we were created to love and be loved–to love our family, friends, strangers, and even enemies unconditionally (Matthew 5:43-48, Matthew 22:34-40). Above all else, we were created to love God (1 John 4:18-21).

So how, then, do we show God we love Him? He is unseeable and untouchable! Obedience (John 14:15-17). Of course there’s the Ten Commandments, with the most important one being to love our neighbors as ourselves (Exodus 20:1-21, Matthew 22:34-40). But it’s more than that. It’s about being richly engrossed the Bible (God’s love letter to humanity), keeping our minds on Heavenly things, and ensuring our actions match up with what the Bible says we should do (Colossians 3:1-16). And if we don’t know what the Bible says? A good place to start is Matthew, or any of the four books at the beginning of the New Testament. And if we don’t understand or want to learn more? Go to the people of the Church and ask questions, whether that be at a Bible Study or on Sunday mornings. There are also plenty of sermons and videos that can help us out. We just need to make sure to do some background research on whoever we’re taking advice from to ensure they are credible. If anyone doesn’t answer our questions with a happy heart, we can always ask someone else. If we pray that God leads us to answers, and He will in His timing (Matthew 7:7-11, Proverbs 27:17, 2 Timothy 1:1-3).

We were created to be different from one another. Why do you think God made a multitude of eye shapes, hair textures, skin colors, etc.? It’s because we are all uniquely made. No two people are the same. Even twins have different fingerprints! Do you think He would stop at our outward appearances? No, God gave each of us unique personalities and interests. He placed specific desires in our hearts with the intention of using those desires for His good. He has a plan and each one of us plays an important role in it. We don’t get to pick that role, and that’s okay, because we can’t see the big picture (Romans 9:19-21, Proverbs 16:25-30). But since God can see the big picture and knows what He has in store for us He can prepare us for our roles in life (Ephesians 2:8-10).

So how do we know what those roles are? This can get tricky because God gave us free will (would our love be genuine if it was forced on us?) It’s easier to follow our own will than it is to follow God’s will (Matthew 7:13-14). Since we can only see what’s right in front of us, it’s hard to trust that there will be a payoff (Isaiah 55). For example, I feel like we’ve all told a white lie. It may have saved us in the moment but quickly, it snowballed into something bigger. What I’m trying to say is sometimes we directly go against God’s will, and other times we think something is God’s will when it’s really our own (Proverbs 16:1-9). A general rule of thumb is that if it lines up with what the Bible says, it’s His will (2 Timothy 3:14-17). Before we make any big decisions, we need to pray a lot and ask that God directs our path (Philippians 4:6-7, Psalm 23, Psalm 119:105-109). Then we need to listen and wait (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, Psalm 27:13-14).

God speaks to us in a variety of ways, whether that be through the Bible, other people, dreams, a gut feeling, or something else (John 10:25-30). We have to trust that He’s going to tell us in a way that we will understand. He knows what’s going to get our attention, and we just have to wait patiently to receive His message. Sometimes we are unable to wait, so we try our best with the understanding of the Bible we have and pray that God will block that path if it isn’t in His will (Proverbs 16:9, Romans 8:26-30). Just remember that God loves you, He created you unique and with a multitude of purposes, and He will prepare you for those purposes (Ephesians 2:10).

I feel like everyone’s had that one friend who you care for deeply but just keeps making those same bad decisions. You love them, but you hate what they’re doing to themselves and others? In the same way, God loves us so much he wants to spend eternity with us (Ephesians 3:14-19). But God is also just (Hebrews 12:4-11). He holds to universe held together by rules, both scientific and moral.

The moral rules have been written into the hearts of every man and woman (Romans 2:14-16). We have the choice as to whether or not we’re going to obey those rules (Romans 6:9-14). To obey them is to show our love for God, and to disobey them is to do the opposite (John 14:15-17). To disobey the rules is to reject God, yet we do it every day (Isaiah 59:1-3, Matthew 10:31-33). So, God put a system into place to free us from the consequences, and we still messed that up (that’s the entire story of the Old Testament). He had to do something drastic to save us, and so He literally walked this Earth in the form of His son Jesus, was crucified (the word created to express how horrible that death was), and rose again (John 3:16-18). He died once for all of us so that if we believed that to be true, He would forgive us for breaking His rules (Romans 5:6-11).

Everyone who believes comes together into what is known as the Church (Ephesians 2:13-22). It isn’t a specific location, building, pastor, or teacher. It’s the Church of God, which supersedes all denominations, countries, nationalities, and social class (Galatians 3:25-29, 1 Corinthians 3:3-9, 1 Corinthians 1:10-13). We come together and live life together, whether that be teaching each other, learning together, doing good works, or sharing a meal (Hebrews 10:24-25, Acts 4:32-37). We are one body, bound by love (Colossians 3:14-17). And each of us has a specific role in the Church (Romans 12:3-7). We are apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers (1 Corinthians 1:10-13). And as a Church, we are called to love on those in need, to feed the hungry, care for the sick, and provide for the poor (Acts 4:32-37, James 2:13, Luke 14:21-14, Proverbs 22:9,Proverbs 25:19, Matthew 25:31-46). We are meant to do good works as an expression of our love for God. To do good works is to live a life that is in line with God’s commands (Ephesians 2:10). Others will see that we are different, set apart, Holy. Some will scoff, and others will ask questions (Matthew 5:16, 2 Peter 3:3-7). It isn’t our job to convert anyone, but it is our responsibility to share what we know (1 Corinthians 3). We have no right to judge others because we are just like them (Matthew 7:1-6)! Do we not lie? Steal? Gossip? Covet? Who are we to compare our sickness to someone else’s? That isn’t love, and it isn’t of God (Matthew 23:23-26). So instead of feeling proud to be set apart, we should be hungry to learn and share the good news (Matthew 28:18-20, Luke 9:6, Colossians 1:9-10). The world will hate us for it, but we aren’t meant to fix our eyes on the world. Instead, we are called to fix our eyes on heavenly things (2 Corinthians 4:16-18, Matthew 6:19-20). When we do that, it keeps us from hiding or losing our passion, giving the devil no foothold (Colossians 3).