Morning of Paradox

I woke up very confused this morning for two reasons. The first, because there was an unusual rattling noise coming from the trash basket under my desk. Upon discovery that my phone had somehow slipped off the desk surface and into the basket, I retrieved it, opened it, and read a text message that contained the second source of confusion:

" It's never too early for a paradox! So, what is the longest 4 letter word? "



I rubbed my eyes, stretched, and sent back "long, past, or wait?".



"Ur close... it's Time" I received in response.



And that is where I disagreed... "I don't think so, it's love".



Keep in mind I did not actually text back all of what I'm about to write for you, but here is the expansion of the morning's thoughts.



God made time for man, and He is beyond it. Time had a specific "start", and will have an officiated "end" when we enter eternity with God. As I recently heard it described in a lecture by Reverend Professor Fiddes, God exists in "Simultaneity"; past, present, and future, all occur in the same "present" moment for Him. To try and comprehend such a simultaneous moment ties my brain in knots, but as it only functions to increase my wonder for God I'm alright with that.



In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul writes "and now these three remain: faith, hope, and love, and the greatest of these is love." And in Hebrews chapter 11 says that "faith is the assurance of things hoped for, and conviction of what is not seen." So to me, faith is something that will not endure, for when we enter eternity with our Lord, what is "unseen" of Him shall be seen by us, and what we have hoped for in Him will be confirmed. Faith and hope will be fulfilled, but His love for us, and our love for Him will assuredly still be. God's love for us is written through creation, the word, and history. He is an unfailing God, I am confident His love is the most enduring of all things.


Furthermore, God and love are inseparable.
"whoever does not love, does not know God"
"if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us"
"whoever lives in love lives in God"
"be rooted and established in love"
"we will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those that love Him"
"nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord"
"no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those that love Him"
"be encouraged in heart and united in love...that you may know the mysteries of God"
and of course, the famous "God is love".

The way we are to live, think, speak, work, and even eat and drink, are all written of in scripture as being done in love.

I become rather abstract for a mere texted mind game to come up with the "longest 4-letter-word", but it was a good reminder to start my day remembering that without love I "am nothing", and I "gain nothing" (1 Corinthians 13).

Love has the greatest longevity as it is in God, love has the greatest impact as it is from God, and love has the greatest value as it is backed by God...and all the worth of the life of Christ.



Of course, this morning "long" was a measurement, but I hope today be keep a focus on "how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ".

Here, I pray for you reading as Paul did for the Ephesians...

"...That you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,

and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine,
according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus
throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."