A Purpose and A Poem

During this series, God Likes You, we’ve been working through a letter in the New Testament written to a church in an ancient city called Ephesus. Despite the passing of time, this church is much like Gateway. The people came from different ethnic and religious backgrounds. They had been involved in all sorts of struggles, addictions, and challenges, but they were learning that when your identity is rooted in Jesus we overcome. Our identity is that we are created for a loving relationship with the God. Yes, God loves you, but even more, He genuinely likes who you are, who He created you to be. He knows you, accepts you, wants to do life with you. But, there’s another part to the story that explains why it’s not so easy—evil hates you.

Throughout history followers of Jesus have experienced the importance of having the support of other believers to stand up against tyranny or persecution. We can see many instances where the church would have crumbled had the body of Jesus followers not stood together against a government or ruler that wanted to twist the church for their own purposes. The importance of the body is made evident during these moments as one person, or small group, discovers others standing with them in their most dire moments. From these seemingly hopeless moments, candles are lit, and the light grows person by person to pierce and envelop the darkness that seeks to surround them. What does this mean for you? What can you do to light a candle to pierce the darkness?

Why do we desire love so much? And, why do we often misinterpret love and accept something less that leads to all kinds of hurt and disappointment? We find ourselves being manipulated into aiming our desire at the wrong target, and as a result, end up being robbed of the very thing we desire. What is God’s plan for love? How can we receive it? How can we share it with others? How can we find ourselves deeply rooted in love?

Do you feel worthy, worthless, loved, or maybe even discarded? We live in a world where we are measured by our worth, our worthiness. We can find ourselves running on the treadmill of life, constantly attempting to prove our worth and to feel wanted, needed, loved, and worthy. Often we scrutinize ourselves by what we have to offer to others or by what we believe they value in us. We even bring this into how we see God. But that’s not what God wants for us. Our worth is not measured by others or even by Him. It is freely given by Him; not earned nor attained. Are you ready to step off the treadmill of life and stand in the worth that God has freely given you?