Genuine Love

“Genuine love requires concentration and effort.” (1)

This little gem was found in the footnote for Romans 12:9&10 of my Life Application Bible.

“Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection and take delight in honoring each other.”

The whole of Romans 12 is about being a living sacrifice to God and about personal responsibility. To me, it’s about being Jesus with skin on. If you’re not familiar with that saying, it might sound a little weird to you....Jesus with SKIN? Well, maybe not literally putting our skin on Jesus....but it’s about representing Jesus to others through our actions, attitudes, attention, and application of His word. In other words, our love of Christ shines through us.

Paul is without a doubt, one of the most amazing examples to us as Christians; He encourages in such a clear and concise manner; his instruction leaves no stone unturned, nor question as for the heights we are to strive. In all the world’s happenings, do you notice the undertones of hate? Currently we live in a news era crowded with shootings, political upheaval, and the media entertainment’s focus seems steeped in witchcraft, zombies, and crime where all things are attainable through our desires, anger, revenge, and self sufficiency. It is the opposite of how Paul instructs us to live as he instructs us in verse two: Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

David wrote, “I hate and abhor falsehood, but I love your law” Psalms 119:163, later going on to promise in verse 165, “Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble”. This ties in beautifully with Paul’s appeal to us to look to Christ. Isn’t it wonderful to know that a great peace, a GREAT PEACE can be ours? It’s free; a gift served with love, tenderness, instruction, forgiveness and the ability to live without shame of anything, because we can serve a God who loves and forgives. When we free ourselves of the bindings of sin we truly can be more focused and genuine in our efforts to love. It’s hard work, people! I am right there with you and will publicly attest that I couldn’t do this on my own; I need God’s grace every single day.

Luke 5:32 clearly invites all to step into the fold of forgiveness and genuine love; “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance”. In this, we have the wisdom, strength, knowledge, compassion, and ability to truly love others and ourselves from the most beautiful example of Christ. For God has saved us and called us to live a Holy life, 2 Timothy 1:9, the only way we can truly and completely experience genuine love.

2004, Life Application Bible, New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

I've recently come upon what I will call ‘opportunities’ to clear space in my life. Create space too. The subject of space has come up a lot for me lately. At my job, in my home, and in my private practice; however even more so...in my heart.

I was destined to be a therapist; strangely attracted to Lucy VanPelt’s psychiatry booth, where she casually gave Charlie Brown advice, I liked the idea of helping others talk through their problems (although we know Snoopy was the wisest of all the Peanuts Gang!). I’ve grown a knack to see things through a multifaceted lens. It used to feel as if I were chronically indecisive; but through lots of trials, training, instruction, learning who I am, and schooling, I came to realize that this is one of my gifts. When we try to do all of this discovery on our own, it doesn’t always feel clear; we feel something like muddling through and feeling confused and indecisive. Thankfully our great God steps in and takes over sometimes! Despite our best efforts, He is there to give rest, clarity, and direction; it’s all for the asking!

Hello to you! My name is Gwen. I am a wife, mom, therapist, school counselor, and a child of The King. My husband Chris and I have been blessed with one beautiful, precocious daughter who is growing up waaaaaay too quickly! (Can SOMEONE stop this crazy ride for just a minute?) She astounds me daily; she’s curious, tender, chatty, and deep thinking. And beautiful inside and out! I live with these two wonders as well as our boxer, Buster, whom I affectionately refer to as “the beast”. He was a gift too. He came into our lives spontaneously and won our hearts just as fast.

My life is filled with a full time job, a part time counseling practice, lots of involvement in my church, and an incredibly full, messy, chaotic, yet inexplicably blessed life! All of these things mean I have lots of things going on in a day, week, or even afternoon. Multitasking seems to be my daily doom! I say doom, not out of pessimism...but at my utter failure to do this well and to any sense of completion. Distraction is the bain of my productivity; it makes my moments feel crowded and encumbered. When I think of space….even 5 minutes seem luxurious, but I strive to use them for something other than facebook so I don’t feel that I’ve wasted it.

Space is joy between the Lines. Psalm 46:10 gives us the gift of space and time. God reminds us to “be still and know that I am God”. Do you know what that means? Rest. Letting go. Permission to give the worries, anxieties, sadness, burdensome, overwhelmed feelings, family difficulties, loss, and change. We get to be still and allow God to speak to us, comfort us, organize us, and give us that spiritual, emotional, and even physical rest we so crave. It’s truly a most generous, luxurious gift!

I like changing my space sometimes; and I really like creating space for purposes. Therapy space, arts and craft space, resting space, conversation space, quiet space…..all of it. It’s important. So here is a new space for you, for me, for us to explore a journey of experiencing joy….between the lines.

Thanks for sharing time in my space today.

Gwen

Joy Between the Lines

Genuine Love