Living and Active

I love the word of God. I never fully understood the meaning of the word of God being "living and active" until now. It is alive and doing transforming work in my life as I know it does in other people's lives as well. My sweet friend, Mary, left a comment on my post about "fears" that I have going into the ministry. It was a much needed reminder...

I remember your genuine faith... This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. ~2 Timothy 1:5-7

I'm excited because I just changed the color of text on my blog for the first time. I just starting noticing that other people were doing that on their blogs and I am excited that I figured out how to do that! Anyway, that was a rabbit trail......

I am reading through 1 John right now, and an amazing scripture that I had never seen before "came to life" for me. It addressed the fears that I have. The fears of failing, messing up, not being able to handle the ministry.

In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. ~ 1 John 4:17-18 (NIV)

ok... a few other translations of this same verse....

God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we're free of worry on Judgment Day - our standing in the world is identical with Christ's. There is no room in love for fear. Well formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life - fear of death, fear of judgment - is one not yet fully formed in love. (from The Message)

Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in the world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. (from The New Interpreter's Study Bible)

I have this new obsession with looking up as many different translations of a verse as I can. I especially liked The New Interpreter's version. NIB said that love "has been perfected." I just liked hearing the word "perfect" in a verb form. It just reminds me that God's love and the life of love that he gives us is an active thing...just as a verb is.

Anyway, the idea (I say idea...it's not an idea...it's truth) that there is no room in love for fear is a constant reminder that fear DOES NOT come from the Lord. God is love and ONLY love and therefore he has nothing to do with fear. God does not intend for me to fear, because he does not have plans that include failing, but rather plans to prosper (Jer. 29:11). I pray that these scriptures would come even more to life by shaping my life. I pray that I would strive to reach perfection in love. I hope this encourages someone else like it has me. We all have fears. Your fears may be very different from the ones that I am facing right now or have faced before. But God's love is bigger than our fears and his perfect love "casts out fear." I pray that you and I both would know and live out his plans to prosper and not to fear.