Praise as Prelude to Love

This week I’m pondering Jesus’ command to Love One Another, John 13:31-35.  It seems such a basic part of our faith to love everyone, yet I wonder how hard it is becoming for us to love  in the political climate we find ourselves today.  It seems to me that we are being asked over and over again to tear ourselves away from those who hold different political opinions then we do. Love seems to be the last thing we want from those who are on the other political side.  How do we live faithfully into Jesus’ command to love one another when we have Donald Trump on one end and Pete Buttigieg on the other?   Both of them claim Christ.  Loving one another means we have to love both of them.  How?  I’m going to explore this in my sermon Sunday but for now I want to share where I think it all begins.  I think it begins when we answer the call to Praise!

Psalm 148 is a grand call to praise for every single piece of creation.  Everything is called into a single voice of worship to God. And the psalmist seems to point to the great differences of those who are called to join the praise. The call goes to the angels from their heights and to the sea monsters in the depths. The Sun and the moon. Wild animals and cattle, creeping things and flying birds. Old and young together and on and on.  Every part of creation is called to praise maybe because when we join the praise, we come to the realization that 1. We are not God 2. We have value and purpose just as we are created 3. So do those worshiping right beside us.  Our differences create an amazing chorus of praise that God loves to play on a loop on God celestial play list.

How do we take serious the commandment to Love one another? Perhaps it begins with praise.  When we offer praise to God, we put ourselves in a place to expand our heart. When we join the chorus of creation in praise it becomes harder to hate. Praise may not be all we need to love our enemies but it’s a good start.  You are always welcome to Worship with us at First Baptist Herndon. We gather every Sunday at 10:00 a.m.