In my arrogance I can stand and say, I know much of love and much of faith because I have read about it. I have passed my finger along the inky sentences and smudged the words together. I try to convince myself that I know and have experienced the depths of these things, but I would be lying. As I watched the preacher stand up this Sunday, frail and shaky, but yet full of joy and gentleness I realised in my youth and in my inexperience I know not much of love and faith.What I love about being in a church, surrounded by many age ranges, is that it strikes humility into your heart. There are many people of the older generation that have much wisdom, have loved deeply and lost and yet have rock hard faith that clings to their personal savior and friend, Jesus. I think perhaps this type of love and faith and gentle wisdom, must come from great trials, situations, testings and walking with Christ daily, being filled by the Holy Spirit and reading his word.
I once knew a man who came to speak at Surrey CU when I was a student. He was a missionary and he was so full of Joy. He would tell loads of stories that would inspire us, make us laugh and cry. He told us a story of how his daughter fell into the hands of men who killed her. He said this with such peace and real acknowledgment of Gods Grace. I found out recently that he has cancer and I expect that He is still full of Joy with the love of Christ. Here is a man who knows much about the depths of Love and Faith.
I think I am just really reminded of how young I am and how actually I don't know much of anything. Paul says to "flee youthful passions" in 2 Tim 2:22, perhaps in a way he means youthful arrogance, pride, quick to judge, quick to lose faith, quick to give up on love and not show Grace. I think I will only truly understand the depths of Love and Faith when I meet trials, heartache, lose, persecution and still say that Christ is ever faithful, ever true and my greatest love.
