Shedding a Little Light

“They strengthened the spirits of the disciples and exhorted them to persevere in the faith, saying, ‘It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God’” Acts 14: 22

Paul and Barnabas offer words of comfort. In our present time, we must endure physical and emotional hardships. Sometimes it feels unfair or like some sort of punishment, but truly it is simply (or not so simply), a refining of our faith. John gives us such hopeful news to any suffering that we may have to endure. He shares the voice of heaven with us, which tells us, that there will be no more death or pain or wailing or weeping or mourning in the new heaven and new earth. He tells us that God himself will be with us always!

So how do we get from here to there? Jesus, himself, tells us the answer. Love. Loving one another was his command. We cannot just love those who are easy to love. We must also love those who are unlovable. We must, in thought, heart, and deed, embrace the un-embraceable. We must caress the untouchable. Loving and kind words must be offered when faced with harmful speech and gossip. Every option should be tried. (However, toxic people should not be allowed unfettered access to us.) The Lord will show us what to do. This kind of love, this Agape love, is not easy. It is tough work every single day. It requires a recommitment to act in love EVERY DAY!

The cost of heaven may be daily hardships, and it will be a struggle to always love in words and deed. Sometimes, we will fail. Sometimes, we will succeed. Every day we start anew. The cost of heaven may be high, but isn’t it worth it? Jesus thought so. The cost of the gates of heaven being opened to us was his life, suffering and death. This was the price of our freedom from sin. This was the cost of God’s love for us. Pray for love. Pray for endurance. Pray for those who have no one to pray for them.

Continue to reach out and do both the spiritual and corporal works of mercy.

• The seven corporal works of mercy are: Feed the hungry; Give drink to the thirsty; Shelter the homeless; Visit the sick; Visit prisoners; Bury the dead; Clothe the naked.

• The seven spiritual works of mercy are: instruct the ignorant; counsel the doubtful; admonish sinners; bear wrongs patiently; forgive offenses willingly; comfort the afflicted; pray for the living and the dead.

By doing this we can …

Keep Living in the Light

Bernie