~love, do not hate and don't give up!

Ecclesiastes 3

1.To everything there is a season,

​​A time for every purpose under heaven:

​2 ​​A time to be born,

​​And a time to die;

​​A time to plant,

​​And a time to pluck what is planted;

3 ​​A time to kill,

​​And a time to heal;

​​A time to break down,

​​And a time to build up;

4 ​​A time to weep,

​​And a time to laugh;

​​A time to mourn,

​​And a time to dance;

5 ​​A time to cast away stones,

​​And a time to gather stones;

​​A time to embrace,

​​And a time to refrain from embracing;

6 ​​A time to gain,

​​And a time to lose;

​​A time to keep,

​​And a time to throw away;

7 ​​A time to tear,

​​And a time to sew;

​​A time to keep silence,

​​And a time to speak;

8 ​​A time to love,

​​And a time to hate;

​​A time of war,

​​And a time of peace.

    As today marks the 12 year anniversary of 9-11, I have to think about these verses. It was such a terribly sad time but now we have good memories about some things that happened that day, some people who are alive, stories of others giving their lives for someone else....but...it also reminds me of that day before we could see the good, the aftermath...it reminds me of the pain, the fear, the sadness, the children who lost parents, parents who lost children, spouses who lost spouses...etc....

   Death.....

  For those in Christ, death is not an end to forever but....it is still an end to our lives here on earth. And because of that, because of death....I truly feel it is so important to mend relationships, to build relationships, to love....oh to love like Christ first loved us. 

   It is not easy, you know this....but in this day and age it is so easy to give up...say, its too hard, I give up. I should't have to deal with this....but you know what, what if that man gave up trying to save that child's only parent at the twin towers....what if Jesus gave up on you?
    I had to do a hard thing today, I had to reconcile with a family member...that meant, emptying myself of "Me" and filling me up with "Him". Cause "me" , I wanted to cut and run. BUt Christ...no, that is not what we are called to do. 

  Sometimes, we are called to be humble, to take the fall, to take the blame, to love no matter what, to do what is right even though it hurts. Did Jesus not give up everything to come to earth to show us the way and then take all the sin, ALL and bear it on the cross? Think about that, sweating blood as the sin was poured out on Him, ALL sin, ALL. Yet, He did it because He loves us....  John 15:9  He loved so we love.....

   Each situation is different and requires prayer...why did Christ pray so much? Cause He was bored? NO! To show us it is IMPORTANT!!!  So important!  So, reconcile, pray first, LOVE.....

   This one is short but I wanted to implore you, life is short, LOVE each other!