intention

(context for this post comes from "mailbag" posted on 5/12/04)

Jesus’ intimacy with his church takes place on two levels: locally and universally. We can get an idea of what this is like when we see Him walking among the candlesticks in Revelation 2. There is no difficulty in seeing one walking among such well-lit fixtures, observing them from all sides, noting the strength of light and length of tallow. The responsibility to burn belongs to the candle, but it is set in place by the same one who can remove it.

There is another image of intimacy found in His holding the seven stars in His right hand. I remember my fascination with marbles as a child, holding them in my hand, turning them all around, fingering them, listening to them rub against each other, fascinated by the marks and lines that ribboned through them.

Perhaps Jesus considers His churches in much the same way, only by the millions. Hand cupped, fingers together, face close by, touching, turning, fingering, pushing, looking for that one . . . there it is . . . pulling it out of the pile, holding it up to the light between finger and thumb.

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I know your deeds. I know what you enjoy pouring yourself into. I know what you enjoy spending your energy on. I know the things you do without anyone asking.

I know your toils, your labors. I know the things that draw out your energy. I know the things you do because you have no choice but to do them. You may or may not enjoy doing these things, but you do them.

I know what you can endure, how you hold up balancing the things you like to do and the things you are required to do. I know what you are like when you are held under.

I know what you cannot endure. I know what you tolerate and what you do not tolerate. Are the things you put up with the same as the things I put up with?

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What does it mean to have left your first love? This is a tough statement. Once, the Ephesians were encouraged to speak the truth in love (4:15) and now the Ephesians are hearing just that. There should be a balance between truth and love and they are discovering that they have been fighting so hard for the truth, they forgot the love.

If we stop to think about it, considering all we do in ministry (or marketplace or missions) because we love to do it or considering all we do in ministry (or marketplace or missions) because we have to do it, what does it matter if there is no love?

Jesus says that Ephesians have forsaken their foremost love. What is that? I think a clue is found in Matthew 22:35-40.

If we are to love God and from the overflow of love to Him we love others, then losing the first love is losing love for God and love for others. So what does it matter if you do what you enjoy or because its your job if there is no love? What does Paul say to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 13 about doing all these things without love?

Larry Norman, speaking the vernacular: “you can be a righteous rocker on a holy roll or you can do most anything. You can be a Leon Russell on a super-muscle or being a corporate king . . . But without Love, you ain’t nothin’, without love.”

So waddya do?
Remember how you got started with Christ. Eph 2 (You were . . . remember . . . remember).

Repent and do the deeds you did at first.

Remember how when you began your new life in Christ and you wanted to do everything out of love for God and how it sloshed over and affected everyone else? Is that happening now?

Ok, class. Can anyone tell me what was paved with good intentions?

Class?