“The United Methodist Church believes God’s love is an active and engaged love, a love seeking justice and liberty. We cannot be just observers. So we care enough about people’s lives to risk interpreting God’s love, to take a stand, to call each of us into a response, no matter how controversial or complex.” (Book of Resolutions, Page 27).
This past week I had the amazing opportunity to be in mission with 1600+ of my fellow methodorks (also known as Methodists). We canvassed the entire state of Arkansas and parts of Southern Missouri and help various clients around the towns in those areas by doing some light construction work, yard work, cleaning, and sometimes just hang out with some of the coolest we will ever meet.
During the week we took excerpts from the text above. It is what I believe to be a core belief of not just the United Methodist Church but for the Universal Christian Church! If we said to love Christ with all we have then all this text should be seen in our lives.
At our living center we ended the week of worship with me prosing a question to them.
If you love Jesus and your life doesn’t show it then what good is your “love for Jesus?”
It’s a gut check for sure but one I think we all need to analyze ourselves and honestly deal with this question, because if we don’t then what good is our life.
Cause a life without is Christ in my estimation is a life not worth living, because Christ gives us the tools to “live life and live it abundantly.” So, ask yourself. Do your beliefs reflect in the way you live?
If your human and I expect that you are then there are times when you don’t live up to what you believe, that is where Christ comes in. That is the principal reason behind his sacrifice. He loved us so much that He even though He knew we wouldn’t live up to our beliefs, so he went the extra mile, because of His great love.
But.
If you are not actively trying then I believe you are wasting time. Our lives are a wisp in the wind so we can’t wait to really live our life. We have to do it now!
As a Disciple of Jesus Christ who just happens to be a United Methodist I stand for the following:
An active and engaged love.
To seek justice and liberty.
To not be a observer but an active participant, because there is no spectators in the Body of Christ.
Because we care enough about others lives to risk taking a stand, by responding NOW!
No matter what!
So, what do you stand for?