Peace in Knowing

   One series of movies and shows that most of my family enjoy watching is Star Wars. A while back they had a show originally on Cartoon Network called Star Wars The Clone Wars. My favorite character in this series was Ahsoka Tano. She was a Padawan who was being trained by her master, Anakin Skywalker. Throughout the whole series I was concerned she would die because she was not in any other Star Wars movies or shows. Then, after season 4 the show was taken off Cartoon Network. 

   For years I did not know what happened in season 5 and 6. But a new show came on Disney called Star Wars Rebels. In this show I got the surprise that Ahsoka was in it! How she survived order 66 or being Anakin's padawan I did not know but she was alive! I was so excited.

   Years later Disney+ came out and had seasons 5 and 6 of the Clone Wars on it. I was excited to watch it to find out more about my favorite character. But I was also comforted. See, when the Clone Wars originally came out, I was always concerned that Ahsoka would die. But now that I had seen Star Wars Rebels, I knew she would live. Because of that I had peace.

   Just like I had peace during scary moments in those shows we can have peace too. We know that no matter what we face on earth God is with us. He has told us how the story will end.

   1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 says: "For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord."

   We know Jesus is coming back. He died on the cross for our sins so we can be with him in eternity. That means we do not have to worry about death if we know him as our personal savior. We can have peace in knowing Him.

   So, do you know Jesus as your personal savior? Are you comforted by the fact that you know the end of the story? 

The Love Passage

   Whenever you go to a wedding, which is between Christians, there is one part of the Bible that is usually recited. 1 Corinthians 13 is known as the love passage in the Bible. Why, out of all the passages on love, is this one chosen? Let's delve a little deeper into this passage.
   In the passage verses 1-3 talk about things like people having these great powers. I somewhat picture great prophets like Elijah, Elisha, Samuel, and so on doing all these miracles like healing the sick and creating food out of what seemed like nothing. 
   The verses then say that if these people with these powers don't have love then they have nothing. Think about one of your favorite super heroes. What if that hero did not love others? What if that hero did not care about anyone else? I think that hero would more than likely become a villain. Could that be what happens to those of us who do not love? Think about the villains you know. What happens to most of them because they don't love?

   Verses 4-7 give us a definition of love that is much better than the dictionary, in my opinion. We find what love is and what it is not. Love is patient, kind, rejoices in truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. Sounds like a major load to carry, right? Love is not about you, or what you think you can get out of it. Love is about others. When we have choices each day, we should choose love. We know this but do we always do this? When you are driving and cut off by someone will you call them a name or forgive, in love? When you are tired but you promised you would do something for someone do you give into your own needs? Do you choose to love by sacrificing your time, money, etc?
   The last verses (8-13) go back to the beginning of the passage. "Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away" (1 Cor.13.8). Those prophets and heroes will pass away. People may remember their amazing acts of heroism, but most people remember how they acted, who they were, and their character. No matter what powers or gifts you have, if you don't use them to show God's love to others what is the point of being here? 
   That is why love is the greatest of all attributes. If we try to do everything in love then the other character traits we may lack, because of sinful nature, will come. It is just a matter of choice. We must choose to love.
   So, will you choose to be a hero for others or a villain by only doing things for yourself? Will you choose to sacrifice yourself and your possessions to show love to others? Will you choose to love?
   1 Corinthians 13:1-13, Romans 12:9-10, 1 John 4:7

Not My Truth

   One day I was sitting at my previous job working on a project while the children were napping. My co-teacher looked out the window and said, "it's raining." I replied, "no" because I didn't want to stay inside with the children. It's better when we can take the children outside so they can get their energy out. She responded, "yes." I shook my head, "no, that's not my truth." She laughed and we tried to figure out what we were going to do inside that afternoon.

   It was a joke and made us laugh when I said, "that's not my truth" but some people say that even when they are not joking. What I mean is, when I said, "that's not my truth" to the fact that it was raining I knew it was raining. I could see the rain, but I jokingly said, "no, it's not raining." Meanwhile there are people out there who know the truth and have seen signs of it, but they choose not to accept it.

   John 14:6 says, "Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." The Bible tells us the truth. We, as Christians, know we are to spread the Gospel to others. We know it is the truth. There are people out there who have heard the message but don't believe it is the truth. But Jesus is the only way to heaven. There is no other truth in the world more important to know than the fact that God loves you. He loves you enough that he sent his Son to die so you can be with him forever. That's the truth worth celebrating and spreading!

   So, what's your truth? Are you following the truth? How can you spread the truth to others?