“The Jesus Creed begins in the face of God, for until we see in the face of God the love God has for us, we will not find the strength to love God, to love ourselves, or to love others. This love begins in the face of God.” (p 22)
Can you see it?
“The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.” Numbers 6:25-26
“This prayer of Israel summons Israel to experience the healing glory of gazing into the face of God…. God’s face is turned toward us with divine delight in who we are, and we are invited to turn our faces toward God to find grace and peace.” (p 22)
Do you want to take time today to look into God’s loving face?
Everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love.
1John 4:7b-8
Scriptural Focus: The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you.
Numbers 6:25
Facing this day: Face God today and discover the face of love.
How does it strike you that after Jesus is asked by the scribe “Who is my neighbor?” he first tells a story about a person who helped one in need and then asks the scribe, “Which of these three do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
Who have you seen today that you are neighbor to?
Scot McKnight suggests that some of the religious leaders of Jesus’ day practiced a “‘love of Torah’ that created boundary lines between neighbors and non-neighbors. Jesus turned that Pharisee expression around and believed in a ‘Torah of love’ that crossed boundaries by redefining the word ‘neighbor.'” (p 12)
What about us? Does our faith, our religion, our “doctrines” create boundaries and barriers that separate us from one another and serve to keep our love “close to home”?
“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Mark 12:31
Scriptural focus: “Which of these three [priest, Levite, Samartian], do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” [The scribe] said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
Luke 10:36-37
Facing this day: Love the one who happens to be your neighbor today.
Why not let the Jesus Creed be the last thought on your mind tonight as you go to sleep and first thought on your mind tomorrow as you awake?
“Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all you heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” The second is this, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these. Mark 12:29-31
McKnight claims “the heart is the center of one’s affections,” “the soul is center of one’s spirituality,” “the mind is the center of one’s rationality,” and “strength refers to our whole being … you body, your ambitions, your dreams, your bank account, your insurance policy, and your talents.” (pp 9 – 10)
He suggests –
Facing the Day: Offer you love today to God.
“To love God means to yearn for, to pray for, and work for what glorifies God and what puts God in God’s place” ( p 8 )
What is God’s place?
“You shall love the Lord your God with all you heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.”
Mark 12:30
Scriptural Focus: “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.”
Mark 12:29-30
Facing this day: Offer your love today to God.