Paul Hudson
We all need to know the love of God
Each February, the world focuses on love and someone somewhere will say the words from a poem written 433 years ago by Sir Edmund Spenser (who seemed to have a fascination with Elizabeth I). ‘Roses are red, violets are blue’. Valentine’s Day means different things to different people and it can also mean nothing at all to others.
Whether we are interested or not in Valentine there is a cry in the world for love instead of hurt. We all need to know the love of God.
The church has had wonderful, beautiful seasons where its people have understood the heart of God. It has also had seasons when it has harmed itself and people have left in droves. The answer is always found in the love of Christ.
An old disciple, the one described as ‘the disciple whom Jesus loved’ (John 21:20), within his vision sees Jesus moving amongst the churches in his region and is instructed to write the messages to the people of God. In each of the letters to the churches Jesus says, “I know what you do.” In all the letters Jesus appeals to them at the end to really listen to him.
“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance… You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first,” (see Revelation 2:1-7).
Can you list many great things about your church? What about your Christian life? You’re doing okay, yes? Be careful! GK Chesterton wrote, “The one spiritual disease is thinking one is quite well,” (The Innocence of Father Brown).
The church at Ephesus became well known for being good people in that they did good works. They were charitable people, helping the poor, akin to foodbanks and other community outreaches.
They had gone through a lot of suffering and persecution for their faith. But they persevered and they endured hardships for Christ. They were mature, seasoned, faithful followers of Christ. Yet…!
“But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first,” (Revelation 2:4 NLT).
You can point to many things about the success of the church and its message.
It can be growing and doing so well but Jesus sees something is wrong underneath, at the heart, and it is to do with love. How did the church in Ephesus move to this point from where they began 40 years earlier?
“Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love,” (Ephesians 6:24). Now Jesus says they have lost their first love for him. Staying in love with Jesus is to keep on choosing Jesus, to keep on putting Jesus first in our decisions and, importantly, to keep on being overwhelmed by Jesus’ love for us.
The discovery of this love is not through a single individualistic pilgrimage.
It is with others. To learn the love of Christ is to do that in community and through people. We will only ever know love by expressing love. The unconditional, non-judgmental, selfless, sacrificial love within community is where we know the love of Christ.
Does that ever go wrong? Of course it does. However, to keep on loving is what it means to be a disciple of Jesus.
Having pastored two Elim churches, one being a church plant, Paul Hudson became Elim’s International Missions Director until 2018 when he was appointed as a Regional Leader. Paul is married to Greta, they have two children, who are also Elim Ministers, and they recently celebrated the birth of their first grandchild.
This article first appeared in the February 2023 edition of Direction Magazine. For further details, please click here.
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