R A C H E L H A U C K . C O M

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Debt of Love

The other day while reading through verses for prayer, I came across this one. "Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law."

One translation refers to the "debt of love."

We are indebted for so many material things in this life - cars, houses, "toys," maxed out credit cards - but rarely are we in debt for love.

To be honest, I'm not even sure I know what it means or how to do it. I did some study and searching.

Here's a definition I like. (Rachel's translation)

"Free yourself from all obligations and debts except loving each other. If you have a debt or bill, pay it. If you owe someone money or service, pay and be done with it. Move on. But love is never paid. It is always due. Love should be given daily, never out of obligation, but out of a servant's heart. If you loved yesterday, love more today."

This verse hit me hard and became the final straw to draw me to the down town ministry. I'm not sure I love daily outside of Tony, family and friends, but that's easy love. I want to daily dole out love to the unlovely, the smelly, the poor, people not like me.

I read a great quote about being preoccupied by loving God and being loved by Him! I'm so preoccupied by so many other things, but at the end of this AGE, only one thing will matter. Jesus.

Look at these One Thing verses.

Psalm 27 - "One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek. To dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, gaze on His beauty and seek Him in his temple."

Mark 10:21 - "Looking at him, Jesus felt love for him. 'One thing you lack. Go and sell all your posses and give to the poor. You'll have treasure in heaven; and come follow me."

Wow. Jesus is telling him, "Love!" It's a picture of the life to come. He doesn't want this young rich man to suffer for suffering sake. Nor does He not want him to have pleasure. Jesus is saying, "The pleasures in heaven are a bazillion times better than what you have on earth."

I'm telling you, little ole praying Grandma's are going to make he Bill Gates's of the world look poor.

This is my favorite "one thing" verse.

Luke 10:41, 42 - "Rachel, Rachel (oops, I mean Martha, Martha) you're worried and bothered about so many things, but only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good part, sitting at My feet, and this exchange between us, this intimacy cannot be taken away from her."

I've been a Martha the past few days. Worried. Bothered. Fretting. Anxious. I publicly repent. I am called to be a Mary. I want to be a Mary. We should ALL strive to be Marys.

Jesus never lies. He is telling us "one thing!" is necessary! Love and sit at my feet. Okay, so that's two things, but it's one concept. The rest of our life flows out of this debt of love.

I heard the story of a man I know and respect being caught up into heaven. Standing before the great white throne, Jesus asked him, "Did you learn to love?"

Good thing the man wasn't dead. After that encounter, he was able to adjust his life's priorities. Now I am able to adjust mine, too.

Labels: confident in love, Love

posted by Rachel Hauck @ 3:27 PM 2 comments

Sunday, January 20, 2008

God's Love

Isn't this a great verse from Paul's letter to the Romans? (Chapter 5, verse 5)

"And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."

Make this your personal prayer. Ask the Holy Spirit to pour out love in your heart for Jesus, for others.

Speaking of...

We don't always have the right impression of people. Here's a story of mine in this. A few years ago I saw a video of a man talking about the love of God and while he spoke words I believed to be true, and he was affiliated with a ministry I respect, I felt he was really arrogant.

He spoke like a politician, you know, sounding so much about himself though he spoke of Jesus.

Fast forward a few years, I met this man in my living room. He came to speak at some meetings and I was anxious to meet him. He walked in, greeted other guest and speakers in the room, but never once spoke to his hostess, me.

Now, at the risk of sounding like a diva, I didn't mind that he immediately engaged in conversation with others, they were people he knew. Maybe he's shy about meeting new people, maybe he didn't realized he missed being introduced to me.

While it didn't help my impression of him, I gave him the benefit of doubt. Throughout the weekend, situations arose, slight conflict, and while discussing these issues with a mutual friend, I confessed, "He is so arrogant."

A weekend in my home and while we were busy with meetings, he didn't say more than 100 words to me, or hubby, or our team.

Fast forward a few more years to last night. I happen upon a podcast of his wife speaking of him. In such a heart of genuine love she said, "When I first met my husband the thing that stood out to me was his humility. He was a leader, but did not run over people."

I was amazed. Of all the words I would use to describe this man, based on my brief encounter and distant observations, humble is not one of them. Passionate, intense, lover of Jesus, but humble? No.

So, who needs to change here? Me. My impression is wrong, no matter what this man projects to outside observers.

It was a lesson to me that I need to seek God about how I view others instead of making judgments based on my weak human heart.

Labels: confident in love, first impression, humility, judgments

posted by Rachel Hauck @ 11:31 AM 1 comments

Sunday, November 04, 2007

Holiness

Holiness is a tough topic. Hard to understand. The line between our works and faith, and trusting in the work of Jesus gets blurred some times.

I was listening to a book on CD this week and there was a line about "depending on your own works." Honestly, I forget the exact wording and setting, but I burst into tears, struck by His holiness.

There is nothing I can do to earn grace, buy holiness, win love. It's all on Him.

Song of Solomon 2

7 Where do you pasture your flock,
Where do you make it lie down at noon?
For why should I be like one who veils herself
Beside the flocks of your companions?"

8"If you yourself do not know,
Most beautiful among women,
Go forth on the trail of the flock
And pasture your young goats
By the tents of the shepherds.

Here Jesus tells the work weary-never-say-no Believer to only do the things He's called them to do under the authority of the church.

"Go forth on the trail of the flock" means hang out with other Believers.

"And pasture your young goats" means only do the things I've called you to do.

"By the tents of the shepherds" means stay under church government.

What we do is work so hard, serve on every committee, never say no because it seems that works proves our faith and righteousness.

But then we are so tired, or jaded, or weary, we lose sight of the One we are trying to please, Jesus.

Holiness isn't what we do, it's who we are because of what He's done. I know at times I've felt, "I'm okay with God because I've done this, this or this."

But really, I'm only okay because He died and rose again.

So, be holy because He is holy, but trust in His work, not your own. Find that balance of doing and being.

Remember to keep the favorite one challenge. Be humble, yet confident in love!

Labels: confident in love, faithfulness, holiness

posted by Rachel Hauck @ 6:35 PM 3 comments