8 p.m…

Can LOVE inspire HATE?

Here are a few examples of “hate” from God’s Word:

“I hate robbery and iniquity.”
Isaiah 61:8b

“To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.”
Proverbs 8:13

“I hate divorce,” says the LORD God of Israel, “and I hate a man’s covering himself with violence…”
Malachi 2:16a

“Hate what is evil….”
Romans 12:9b

As I have observed Irene’s pain, suffering and gross discomfort caused by Primary Amyloidosis and ESRD, I have come to HATE this disease. Candidly, there are times when I find myself getting very angry at what Irene is going through. It is painful to watch someone you love suffer so much in the body. I then process my emotions and ask myself “what am I actually feeling?” I discover that I am angry at the root which is this: that we live in a fallen world where life is short and where sin, evil and suffering abounds.

I long to hate the things that God hates and love the things that God loves. I hate the vanity of this world and the sin which so easily entangles us.

Let me be clear; I am learning to hate those things that God hates, but I don’t stay there emotionally for very long. It’s simply not healthy to do so. I don’t have the capacity to remain there because if I did, I would become a very bitter, cynical person. My “hate” drives me to the bankruptcy of my own heart, to my own sin and to Jesus Christ, for that is why He came into the world…to reconcile the eternal separation from God called SIN and the stronghold of evil. He promises to “make all things new”…demonstrating his LOVE for all of mankind and promising us an abundant and victorious life. He gave His life in exchange for us to experience an eternal life with him…completely pain and disease free…for God is Love.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8

Our wonderful friend, Marilyn Miller, graciously spent time with Irene today while I was in SF on business. Irene had a good morning but later in the day she became increasingly nauseated, lethargic and uncomfortable. This process is so unpredictable, slow and arduous. Thank you for your prayerful intercession.

It’s always provocative to use the word “hate” because it is so un-politically correct. We raised our children with this philosophy: that when bad things happen in our lives, we have a choice to either get BITTER or BETTER through the experience. We must intentionally CHOOSE better. My love for Irene inspires me to hate evil, but my hate drives me to the cross of Christ. For only at the cross can the hate be reconciled with LOVE and the BETTER can become a reality.

Caminando con Fé
Dave