James 2:12 Talk and act like a person expecting to be judged by the Rule that sets us free.

What kind of rule could possibly set us free? We have it in our heads that any amount of self-control exercised or rules followed limit life and our freedoms. While there certainly are rules of that sort that exist, way too many as far as I’m concerned, the Golden Rule, Love like Jesus, is freeing in every sense of the word if only we could get past ourselves.

One could argue that it is very hard, really impossible, to love like Jesus, and that He died on the cross which seems more like suffering than freedom. I want to challenge our perspectives for a moment. Jesus had one focus and one focus only. That alone should pique our interest. Only and simply ONE concern. I would so much rather keep my eyes on Jesus, trusting Him, than worry about kids, relationships, money, insurance, work, food, retirement, sickness, death, etc, etc, etc.

George MacDonald wrote: One believing like him in the perfect Love and perfect Will of a Father of men, as the fact of facts, fears nothing. Fear is faithlessness. But there is so little that is worthy the name of faith, that such a confidence will appear to most not merely incredible but heartless. The Lord himself seems not to have been very hopeful about us, for he said, “When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” A perfect faith would lift us absolutely above fear. It is in the cracks, crannies, and gulfy faults of our belief, the gaps that are not faith, that the snow of apprehension settles, and the ice of unkindness forms.

Jesus trusted so fully in His Father that even as He hung on the cross and our Sin engulfed Him with darkness He commended His spirit to His Father, fully trusting Him. He was not burdened with concerns or worries – even on the cross. He was more free than any of us will ever experience without the power and help of the Holy Spirit. 

To this world, “such confidence will appear to most not merely incredible but heartless…”

So what if our one and only concern was to love like Jesus? -knowing the only way that will happen is if we abide in Jesus and keep our hearts on the Lord with the help of the Holy Spirit. God is Love and the source of all Love. Honestly, even our love without Jesus is ridiculously broken – we care too much about wanting people to like us and we let anger and jealousy and injustices and worries consume us, tainting His perfect Love. What if we can dump all that baggage and simply turn our eyes to the One Who Was, Who Is, and Who Is to come – breathe deeply and trust. We will never trust someone we don’t know – so get to know Him, trust Him, and then surrender a little more deeply. It’s okay to say it, “It’s not my problem.” It appears heartless, but I am convinced that in every moment a heart surrenders to the Lord, victories are won! Much bigger victories than we can imagine. 

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. – Ephesians 6:12

God has got this – let us remind each other and build each other up in this Faith! Amen.