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The Messengers of Love–that was our original session name. Yet, the slight modification to our name is more suitable to us, rightly accrediting the power and significance of God’s love.
Commissioner John Gowans wrote: “A man unloved is not worth very much. He hobbles through life on a broken crutch. But when he knows that someone really cares, he holds himself erect, he acts, he dares!”
The world is full of crippled people hopelessly, desperately stumbling in a world of lies, lust, laziness, loneliness, selfishness and greed. They try to survive, vainly looking for love in all the wrong places. Their cries for love and attention are drowned in a world too busy to care.
Who will love them? God loves them! “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” (John 4:9-10, NIV)
General Frederick Coutts said, “What a strange paradox this is, that a Cross of agony should become a Cross of healing!”
It is no coincidence, then, that our logo is simply the cross. No, it is not fancy, glamorous or glittery, for what transpired on the cross was cruel and ugly. It stood as a symbol of shame, a means of punishment that we so deserved.
On the other hand, the outcome was necessary and glorious. So, today it no longer carries that stigma. Instead, it stands as a constant reminder of what God did for us.
“While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5,8, NIV) He chose to bridge the gap of sin between him and man. This is the message of God’s love–unlimited, unconditional and unselfish.
That is why we stand before you today. “We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:9 NIV). The transformation that has occurred in our lives compels us to tell others about him.
Yet, we realize “…no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.” (John 13:16, NIV). The glory belongs only to God. Nevertheless, as Messengers, we are confident that God has equipped us for the tasks that lie ahead.
Even when the storms cross our paths and Satan attempts to distort the message, we will be faithful–keeping our eyes focused on the cross, fixing our eyes on Jesus.
Our encouragement comes from chorus #180: “Jesus is all I need, Jesus is all I need; I’ll follow where he leads: Jesus is all I need.” The Lord called us. The message was given to us. The responsibility of delivering the message is now near.
I must love thee; love must rule me,
Springing up and flowing forth
From a childlike heart within me,
Or my work is nothing worth.
Love with passion and with patience,
Love with principle and fire,
Love with heart and mind and utterance,
Serving Christ my one desire.
General Albert Orsborn
My the Lord bless each of us as we endeavor to share this perfect love.
Lieutenant
AnnMarguerite Begonia
Representative Speaker
