Hey Jude

So I am back in the office this week, well at least through Thursday, and after coming off an amazing spiritual high at MFuge in Glorieta, New Mexico, I sat down in my squeaky office chair and cracked open God's word. I flipped to the book of Jude so I could not only read God's word but get a sense of accomplishment for reading a book of the bible in one sitting. I came across these verses that spoke some truth to me, "20But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life."

What does it mean to keep ourselves in the live of God? What does it look like? What does it act like, smell like, taste like, what does it love like?

God's love is evident throughout scripture, both old and new testament. Everything God does, from the destruction of nations to the sacrifice of His son, is for the benefit of His creation, is out of love.

I haven't had to discipline Cooper yet because he has no clue what is bad and what is good, but one day when he is old enough to understand right from wrong, I will punish him in one form or another, and it will be because I love him. I will not let him go to parties where he will be tempted because I love him, I will ground him when he brings home a sub-standard report card because I love him, he will be madat me at times because he will think I am unfair because I live him.

We don't always understand why God chooses to allow things to happen to us, good or bad, but we do know that everything that does happen to us is for our benefit because it is for His glory. So to keep ourselves in the love of God is to keep ourselves obedient to His word as well as seek His glory first and ours second.