September 15, 2019 - INSCRIPTIONS FROM THE HEART

If we’re to ask people close to you to describe you as a person, what do you think they would say? What would be your main identifiers? Would it be your appearance, your attitude, your outlook, your passions? You see, whatever our priorities in life, whatever we value the most, whether it’s our image, our family, our ministry, our hobbies – people observe and associate our priorities as part of who we are known to be.

Personally, this was a problem for me and my wife when we first started dating. You see, I love cars – I love looking at it, tinkering around with it, maintaining it, watching videos about it. You get the idea. Thus, this translates to my speech, activities I participate in, and my social media, like Instagram to be filled with my car stuff, among other things (like cats, I like cats too). This became a problem because my girlfriend (who is now my wife), felt that I loved cars more than her. So over the years, I had to shift my priorities to show my wife that I loved her more than cars and cats.

As Christians, Jesus gave us a new command to follow, a new priority to prioritize:

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”                                       (John 13:34-35)

Jesus says that this is a new commandment because previously, God’s people, namely the Israelites would have focused solely on the Law and following it to a tee. This would have been a relatively new concept for the Israelites as it moved the focus to others rather than individual piety. This commandment, Jesus says, everyone will know we are His disciples. So my question for you today is what is your identifier? What is your priority; what is your focus? Would it be love for others? If not, what it is? Let us strive to what Jesus has called us to prioritize as His followers on earth for His honour, glory, and praise.

Pastor Immanuel Garcera