Such Love

I had a wonderful day at church today! It started with Sunday school. I teach a class on Genesis. This study has been challenging in so many ways! I love studying God's Word! This morning we looked at the life of Jacob. You might wonder how we got through the whole life of Jacob. Well I wanted to focus on the two Jacobs we see in Genesis. We started by looking at the Jacob the deceiver and then Jacob the humble servant. This was a great look at how Jacob started his life as one who tricked, deceived, and manipulated to get what he wanted. He was able, with the help of his mother, to get his brother's birthright and blessing from Isaac his father. But Esau was so angry that he desired to kill Jacob. So Jacob goes to Uncle Laban's "to find a wife". Jacob was willing to serve Rachel and the flocks that were with her by removing the stone and watering them for her. He barely knew her. This is a transition in Jacob's mind. He was beginning to not focus on himself. He then loved Rachel so much that he was willing to work for her for seven years and even said that the time seemed only as days because he loved her. Laban then tricks, deceives Jacob and gives him Leah to marry. What goes around comes around. Jacob does not get mad, he does not demand Rachel. He then agrees to work another seven years for Laban. After being with Laban for about twenty years Jacob heads to Canaan. Jacob hears that Esau is coming with 400 men to meet him. Jacob must have thought that this cannot be good. He sends messengers to Esau to tell him that his servant Jacob is coming and is sending gifts to him. Jacob now is not throwing the blessing and birthright in Esau's face but is humbling himself and saying he is Esau's servant. Esau runs to Jacob and hugs him! Not what Jacob expected. We saw that Jacob started as a deceiver but became a humble servant.

This morning in church Pastor preached about "Such Love" from 1 John 3:1. He challenged us to focus on the love of God! WOW! The love of God! We are so unworthy of the love of God. Praise God that He loved us even while we were enemies, arch rivals Christ died for us! So often we forget what price was paid for us to be saved but even more often we forget the love of God that drove Christ to the cross. The love of God! Oh, that I would never forget that love!

This evening Pastor preached sermon that was our response the love of God from the last part of 1 John 3:1. He reminded us that we are not to be surprised if the world does not like us, understand us, or hates us because He was not like, misunderstood, and hated first. We are to realize that the Holy Spirit is how we can do anything for Christ. Also that we are lights in the world. Are we shying away from unbelievers because we are scared of them and their sin? Are were taking the great love of God to them regardless of who they are? We need to take the great love of God to them but refrain from involving in their sin. We are to love the sinner but the sin. Also that we are realize that we are heirs with Christ. We have all in Christ! Praise God!

Today has been such a wonderful day at church! God has challenged me in so many ways. I pray that your day at church was amazing as was mine! Glory to God!

Press ON!