For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. ~John 3:16

I hate being controversial so I had sent the following to my friend in a PM on facebook. It was in response to this article he had posted on his wall that spoke of how Christians abuse and reject their LGBT children:

I think it’s heartbreaking. There must be a stance for truth, but it should never be done without the light of God’s love fully surrounding it. Even with all the gifts of the spirit, Paul wrote saying “let me show you a more excellent way” and went into love. It’s all a moot point if we do what we do and forget to do it with love. I think that’s one of the problems in the [church]… the church that kicked my family out, they were acting in what they thought was right- get rid of those causing rifts in the church- and yet if they were looking with love instead of fear, they’d have realized my parents were actually fighting to help keep it together! Once, my mom spent 3hours on the phone with a lady convincing her to come to church the next day since she never wanted to go back… the next sunday my mom was called into the office and yelled at for talking to that girl and “clearly, she must have told that girl to not come back to church.”

I know that misunderstood actions (and them refusing to believe otherwise) is not that same as professing one is gay, but the end result was the same- kicked out- abandoned- felt as if one is hated by the people who should be an example of Christ in the other person’s life. Parents who beat and kick their LGBT youth out are showing their kids that God hates them and wants nothing to do them. That is heart wrenching! How will they ever come back to a loving Christ when, in His name, (wrongfully) their hearts are ripped to shreds. That is not my God. He loves them all dearly. You can say “in this house we do not accept sin, read these verses, see what His Word says, we love you and only want God’s best for your life.” Imagine an impassioned plea for their souls instead of being beaten and abandoned? Now that’s more like the Jesus I know.

I post it here to say this: in this time of celebrating Christ’s amazing gift let us not forget that it was all done in love.  When we reach out to those we know- do it with love- not fear. Let His love shine through you to those in your life.  Let His love guide and show the way to Him. Every moment of this agonizing weekend for Him (the beatings, being mocked, and crucifixion) were for love. Because He loved us, He came back in power so that we might be given the chance to have our sins washed away. Because of love, He sent the Comforter (His spirit) in Acts chapter 2 so that we might have His power.

Dear reader- know that this God, this Jesus, He is love. He loved us so much He died for our sins and rose again so that we might live in victory for Him. That our sins would no longer separate us from Him and that He could be with us once again as He was with Adam in the garden.  If you don’t know Him, start with John chapters 1-3 and keep going even into the book of Acts. See the life of Jesus and then the acts of His apostles. If you ask Him to reveal Himself, He will.

Jesus, 

I thank You for Your sacrifice. I rejoice that You have risen. I praise You and worship You that we can now be freed from sin because of Your actions all those years ago in the events leading up to the cross and beyond. Even the beatings were for us- “by His stripes we are healed.”  Every thing was loving done for us.  Thank You Jesus! Thank You!! 

Rebekah M.