brotherly love

I sat behind two brothers today in church service. Their story brought me to tears as I watched them.....Its quite a remarkable story actually, you see, not too long ago one of the brothers was dying.
One brother had a blessed life...good wife, great kids, good career and following Christ.
The other brother was not doing so well...you see...years of  living a hard life style in a hard world had done its toll on his liver, and now in the end, he was dying.

Here is where the story gets awesome.
Brotherly love.

The one brother took the sick brother into his home...he did not reject him or cast him off..he did not close himself off from him...he didn't say "You made your bed now lie in it!"......instead he opened his arms and he loved him. He not only accepted him into his family, he brought him to the family of God...
..and in his dying days the sick brother hears the good news of Jesus Christ and receives Jesus into his heart!

Here is where the story gets incredible.
The family of believers start praying......

Father God steps in and the sick brother gets the medical help he needs and liver transplant...it was rough at first..but after a while...both men, two brothers are in front of me healthy and whole...in church ....worshipping God...because one man didn't give up on his brother...because brotherly love prevailed.

funny..it got me thinking....the liver cleans our blood...too much pollution in the blood  and after a while it kills the liver and then the person dies...that's actually all of our stories
the pollution is our sin..it poisons our life flow, our blood...but Jesus comes and he gives us a transplant...a heart transplant...he takes our sin ...so we may live...to stand and worship and love Him forever!
Its all because of love!

Back to Him

Somehow i got lost in the middle of it.
In the beginning it was pure....it was about being loved and accepted,   being called....a messed up sinner who did not deserve it..... and my heart responded with gratitude and passion.
At some time I was given my draft card and I willingly signed it!
I'm in the Lord's army now!

But somehow, over time my service became stale and  worship became a pattern....it became about attendance and proving to others that I loved Jesus ...proving it to myself .
I found myself feeling guilty or afraid if i didn't meet up to the expectations of others, if i didn't do what I was supposed to do.
Maybe things didn't feel perfect, but that's OK...after all I was doing what I had to do for God...right?
I looked to my fellow recruits for advice. Some got angry with me for not being committed to the plan. The machine must be fed.  Others were tired, just trying to hang in there until the Lord called them home or returned here.
But a few understood my heart, that the machine,  like the Tin Man needs a heart to be complete, to truly live.

I'm finding out that In true worship our motivation and actions spring forth from love and gratitude to our Savior.
In the institutionalized state our actions and deeds are often propelled by feelings of obligation, guilt and fear of criticism.
Crazy how the institutional pattern removes the zeal and love motivation....most people try to solve the fellowship gap with more activity, more works.
Just stay busy until or Lord comes or until we go to Him.
if things don't feel right do more....your service will be rewarded.

but its not about religious business....its supposed to be a love relationship...a friendship, deep and personal.
...not a work contract.
In the fellowship and abiding the Lord will whisper to His bride  once again "come away with me"
The Lord will show His children how we were created to glorify Him!
How we each have a special and unique calling.
so why is the body of Christ copying each other....copying the past?
Lost in a pattern the bride has become an institution....but many are hearing the Lord calling them back....back to Him.
........Jesus has our marching orders and duty assignments and they won't lead us away from Him.
..........Holy Spirit speak to your church...fill us with your love..revive us...ignite us with your fire!
............Father we need your presence, by your Spirit may we always abide in you, empowered and motivated by your love.

John 4:23  (ESV)

23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.