Hi everyone,

What a busy weekend this was. It was our daughter’s birthday yesterday, and she is still of the age where she is really excited to have birthdays. She does ask for as much as she used to, which I guess is a good thing as it sure is easier than feeling bad from saying “no” all the time…

But for the past two days when I wasn’t busy at work or something, we were doing something in celebration. Again, she didn’t ask for much, but as with any of our kids, I was prepared to give much more than she had asked. Not because I want to spoil them, but because I love them and I guess giving gifts is just a way I enjoy showing that love.

Now you may be wondering if I’ve ever given you a gift of some sort…

I should say that isn’t my only love language. And if i were being honest I don’t know if I could really pinpoint one for myself, as I find myself speaking many different love languages and they all feel somewhat equal to me. Of course, people don’t feel equal, as you could imagine I would put my wife and kids pretty high up on “how much I love” category, and I really would do anything for them.

And while others who aren’t my wife and kids will fall lower in the rankings, I feel like I will do what I can to remind them that they, too, are loved. Just maybe not in as grand a scale. I mean, that’s what we’re called to do, isn’t it? To love our neighbours?

Here are the readings for next week:
Acts 17:22-31
Psalm 66:8-20
1 Peter 3:13-22
John 14:15-21
And a video of them being read:

Jesus is still in his Farewell Discourse here, and he leans heavily on love. Makes sense though, as I believe that is what God is all about: relationship, community, and how we regard and treat each other. And above all, we too are called to love.

Not love because we’re commanded to or have to or are manipulated to. But love because we see in each other the beauty of God’s creation. We can look at another and see the image of God in them. We recognise God’s love in the them just as it is in us.

So I don’t see love as this condition that we must meet in order to be loved. But I see it as the result of us being loved. Because we are created out of love, it is difficult for us to not love. Of course, things happen and we are negatively affected by the evil in the world. But at our core, we are meant to love.

Love God. Love neighbour. Love even ourselves.

Thanks be to God! Have a great week!