A Labor of Love

[Pastor Dan Howard]

Love has a lot of expressions and quotes that have been given to it.
“Better to have loved and lost”
“love is blind”
“love conquers all”
“Love is a Battlefield”
“Love Stinks”
…….ok, those last two are rock and roll songs, but you get my drift.  Perhaps the truest of these expressions is that something is a “labor of love”. Love is not easy. Love takes work. It takes sacrifice. Take my children, it takes love to discipline them. If I did not love them, I would never discipline them. Why? Because it takes work…pain…..conflict…..frustration …. to correct. I must put up with anger and sobs and tears when I discipline. That takes love. The easy thing to do would be to just hand my children what they want and send them on their way. Here, I am a cool dad…have ice cream for dinner as well! But then the sugar would rot more than just her teeth, it would rot her personality. I love my kids, I want better for them. So I sacrifice and I labor and I discipline them…..out of love.

            God labors to love to. He sets our sin aside, He sees us though the sacrifice of His Son, and He welcomes the prodigals’ home. It’s pretty amazing. He tells us to put our guilt and shame aside, and be embraced by His love that sacrificed for you. The blood and sweat, the labor of Jesus, was the forgiveness of your sins. The reward for His work went to you.

Need a Biblical reminder?

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. –1 John 1:9

“I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more
 - Isaiah 43:25

The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him.
- Daniel 9:9

 

In accordance with your great love, forgive the sin of these people, just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now.”

-        Numbers 14:19-21

From the very beginning, from the first sin in the garden, God has been laboring to call you home. To make you right, and to grant you eternal life. God worked hard. Why? Well I leave you with the words of Ephesians 1:7

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.

He did it for you! Let’s celebrate that together this Sunday.

-        Pastor Dan