The Fulfilling of the Law

Love does no wrong to a neighbor, therefore,
the fullness of the law = love (Rom. 13:10).

Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes... (telos, in the Greek, has the meaning of "end" and "goal toward which movement is directed"). (Rom. 10:4)

We pour our hearts out. Sometimes, we revealed our hearts to those who didn't hold our inner person caringly and with love. Pouring our hearts out to God in prayer, lament, praise and mourning is safe. Our hearts are not safe in the hands of most people we encounter in our daily lives, our workplaces, and sadly, our hearts may be in danger within churches and our own families, too.

If we know we're not safe, how can we plumb the depths of our souls' pain and the outcomes of our wounding? If we can never meet our brokenness with courage, we can never know the fullness of the healing of Christ.

There seems to be connections: the more time spent in the presence of God, the more carefully held the outpouring of others' hearts, and the more others pour out their hearts, spontaneously.

I wonder if a pastor needs to stay constantly in touch with the awareness of how people are sharing with him/her as a barometer to others' sense of the Holy Spirit's tenderness within the pastor's heart. I'm not talking about that which is easily shared, but the heartaches, the disappointments, the losses, and the need for God's touch. Then, a pastor may not use that heartache for anything other than prayer and intercession before the Father. The righteousness is met in the tender caring of relationship which permitted the outpouring.

If the members of the church aren't safe with one another, then we've failed in being the true Body of Christ and the fulfilling of the law in love. Each of us needs time in God's presence so that we will hold another's heart with love and care. Only God can enable that love, and only God can empower that sacrifice when betraying or turning against the other is easier than facing our own brokenness.