IOU

Today’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Isaiah 61
NT: Romans 13
W&W: Psalm 86

Today’s Reflection:

Romans 13.8 says, “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another.”

As I write the blog this morning, I am listening to the proceedings of the General Assembly of the Church of the Nazarene. At this moment, they are debating a resolution concerning care to immigrants, regardless of documentation and legal status. A delegate from a non-North American nation reminded us that there are millions of people who are “illegals” and “aliens” in their own land because of oppressive politics. It is in these very areas that the church is experiencing its most dramatic growth.

I have been an alien to God’s mercy, haven’t you? I am a debtor to love! God has so loved me that I must love my brother. There is no way that I could ever repay all God’s love, so I will have to make continual payments of love to those he loves! Praise the Lord! I will always be bound – in duty and in debt – to my Lord and Master Jesus Christ.

By the way, we have two new General Superintendents in the Church of the Nazarene: Eugenio Duarte (first non-American GS in the Church of the Nazarene!) and John Bowling (President of Olivet Nazarene University). Pray for these men and for the election of the third GS as the ballots are cast today.

This Week’s Scripture to Memorize:
Dare we try a whole chapter? If you have been working on this by the week, you will be able to do it! John 1.1-10: 1That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4We write this to make our joy complete. 5This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 8If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.