In St. Louis while driving, I used
to turn on Christian stations with teaching segments, some by local people and
some featuring “bigger names” like Joyce Meyers. Although I didn’t “buy into” all these people
said, often I “heard something” that God was speaking to my heart through
them: a particular scripture, a word of
encouragement or instruction, etc. Since
moving to Charleston, I’ve found a Christian music station to listen to when I
am doing something near the CD/radio player.
Again, it is not all pleasing, but some of the songs have grabbed my
attention, like today’s “Let Love Win” by Carollton, who I had never heard of.
God can never remind us enough of
His love and how powerful it can be when we yield to it, instead of our
emotional reactions. The refrain
clamoring for my attention is: “when we
lay down our weapons and we let love win.”
As I listened to the whole song on utube, I caught some other powerful
lines, like “love builds bridges that cannot be burned . . . your love is the
strongest way . . . tearing down walls . . . breaking our chains.” The Bible tells us these things, the life of
Christ shows us these things, but walking in love is not always easy.
Jesus and John the Baptist had a strong
connection beyond being cousins. Jesus
knew John’s ministry was “preparing the way” as prophesied. When John baptized Jesus, he saw a dove come
down, and God spoke, “This
is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased” (Mat. 3:17). Yet, when John was in prison, he sent his
disciples to ask if Jesus was “the One” (Luke 7:20). Of course, he had doubts after being
imprisoned and about to get beheaded.
Jesus could have said many things
in reply. We should note what He did say—in
understanding love: “. . . tell John the
things you have seen and heard,” the blind see, the lame walk, lepers are
cleansed,. . . “(7:22). All these were amazing
demonstrations of the love and power of God—no need for lengthy discussions or
exhortations, just actual demonstrations.
Jesus departed to a deserted place after
hearing of John’s beheading. Even intimacy
with His Father didn’t spare Him being saddened and disturbed. But when the multitudes followed Him, “He was
moved by compassion for them and healed their sick,” followed by the miraculous
feeding of the 5,000 who had gathered about Him (Luke 7:13-31). He did exactly what Paul instructs us to do
in Romans 12:21, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” That “unnatural” human reaction really sunk in
after a close friend “dumped me” to be blunt.
We know that God loves us
unshakably and He wants to do amazing things if we yield to His love and
believe in His power and will to do good.
Always let us “lay down our weapons and let love win.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKWm0bGZlDU (link to song)
