Have you ever wondered about this statement from Paul to the Thessalonians? "Now may the Lord direct your hears into the love of God and into the endurance of Christ." II Thessalonians 3:5 Why is God the Father linked to love and Christ the Son linked to endurance? What was in Paul's mind here? I want to offer a theory that I pray we all benefit from. I do not to claim to know fully, but these thoughts encouraged me and I hope they will encourage you also. We need to know the love of God to make us personally secure enough in ourselves to look "outward" without the burden of "self-consciousness" and "insecurity". Knowing the love of God is the foundation of freedom in relating to Him without reservation. Awareness of God's personal love for us removes fear of torment and condemnation and enables us to come boldly, with confidence to the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. A heart directed towards the love of God comes to know Him as Father, the one person to whom we can always turn to who has a perfect heart towards us. Once we become rooted and established in the love of God, fearful and troubled hearts become a past experience; joy and peace become a daily reality. Why then is Christ's name linked with "endurance" ? I think it is because He is the "son of man." He is the one who endured such contradiction of sinners. Relating to men is a painful experience that requires much endurance. We need our hearts directed into the love of God to perfect our relationship with Him. We need our hearts directed in the "endurance" of Christ to perfect our relationships with men. Relating to others is undoubtedly the most painful experience in life. Yet, God has not revealed His love to us so that we would build our own isolated personal monastery and fixate on Him alone. His love has an end - that end is giving to others, and giving to others means relating to them. Relating with others, means getting close enough to be hurt by them. That's where we need endurance - because we will never relate to others without pain. Those who try to avoid pain from relationships are always led towards either "insulation" or "isolation". They choose one or the other in attempt to "manage" their pain level, but there is a great difference between "pain management" and being "healed." The person who is not receiving daily grace through the love of God, must attempt to deal with the pain of relating to others by avoiding contact with anyone or limiting contact to the few safe relationships they have found. Jesus is on the other hand, is the "man of sorrows", "well acquainted with grief". He tasted the pain of every kind of difficulty in relating to people and still He endured to the end. It is through His same endurance that we learn to relate to men through the pain of relationships. He suffered willingly for our peace, He was crushed for our iniquity. He carried our sins upon His shoulders and still cried "not my will, but Thine." The love of God becomes the fountain that keeps our own springs flowing. The endurance of Christ is the power to keep the channel open so that God's love will continue to flow to others.makrothumia
_________________Alan and Dina Martin
Simple and profound. Thank you so much for taking the time to share this with us.Be well today dear Brother,Doug
Makrothumia,Thank you for sharing this. It blessed me today.Andrew
_________________Andrew
Thank you brother for this excellent teaching on love and endurance. The two really go together because without love we will not be willing to endure the tests and trials that we go through. "Love endures all things." Mike
_________________Mike
Thank you for posting this. May many read and meditate on what you have written. Wayne
A beautiful article, makrothumia! Recently I have been pondering over the words "Love is patient", and am thrilled to read your meditation on that theme. You carefully note how our own quality of endurance (or patience) towards others is intended to reflect Christ's endurance towards fallen humanity. We must expect it is filled with pain or we will isolate ourselves from others. "Long-suffering" is a good word for patience, isn't it? PS: I see that you chose the Greek word for patience/long-suffering as your callname. It must be an important theme for you. Is there a story or inspiration behind your choice? Diane
_________________Diane
Hello Diane, I can not recall exactly when, but there was a time I began to see that endurance had more to do with difficulty of circumstances and long suffering had more to do with pain because of relationships with people. I chose the name to remind me of the goal to be perfected in love towards others so as to suffer long with them. Lonsuffering is the first quality of love Paul mentions. "Love suffereth long and is kind." Peter wrote that "we are to consider the longsuffering of God to be salvation." God's long suffering with me has been my salvation. Now His Spirit sheds abroad the love of Christ in my heart and the result is I am strengthened with power unto all endurance and long suffering with joy. To be able to experience joy in loving others with the same long suffering that my Lord has loved me is the goal of my life. I realize more than ever that this is only possible through becoming one with Him - love is the bond of perfection because love suffers long enough with others to become permanently one. This is the heart of the Father and Jesus - that we be made perfect in one. Jesus prayed for us this very thing -"that the love You have for me may be in them and I in them." makrothumia
