Embarrassment Where it Comes From

Have you ever been completely ignored by those who you thought would love you? When you write a text or letter and those you wrote to do not respond to you, how does that make you feel? Or perhaps they respond with one word or one sentence answers as a sort of obligatory response that feels flat and lifeless!

When we say we love someone but ignore their correspondence, even refuse to engage in meaningful conversation with them, it feels more like hate than love.

This is what God feels like when we say we "are Christian" but are embarrassed to mention His name. Even denying His truth in favor of being accepted by others who do not love Him.

Can someone be born again and act embarrassed at hearing the words of God or the name of Christ? I don't know, I am confused about this.

I love Christ more than I can express, even though I fall short in my walk, I cannot imagine not thinking about Him. He comes to mind all through the day. You know, the way someone we love deeply and are about to marry never leaves our mind until our wedding day. Or the way we never stop thinking of the children we bore.

We are the bride of Christ, is He not in our mind continually, as we wait in anticipation for that day we will see Him face to face. The longing for Him is powerful and constant in those who love Him.

Our focus on Christ is not nearly as much about "the rules" as much as its about how much we are in love with Him.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
"16 Rejoice always; 17 pray without ceasing; 18 in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."

In these verses I am convinced they are not merely commands to do these things but expressions of facts that we do them. We don't have to try or work it up, we just love Him so much it comes to us as naturally as it does for those who are deeply in love and about to get married to a spouse.

Revelation 19:7-9
"Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”

I am also convinced that when a person has this mindset toward Christ they will also love the Brethren.

1 John 3:14
"We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death."

Ephesians 3:17–19
17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."