Free To Love

Dennis Kinlaw, former president of Asbury College, and now retired, has written extensively about holiness and the deeper Christian life. His writings are rich in practical applications in living out that deeper, passionate, all-surpassing love to which Christ calls us.

He recounts the story in one of his writings of a man who was saved and then filled with God's perfect love. Some time later his church received a new pastor. For the new pastor's first service, the man selected his very best ham from his storage room so he could present it to the new pastor as a love gift. During the service there was a testimony time and the man told how he was converted and then how the Spirit of God came and cleansed him from self-interest. In the middle of his testimony, the preacher stood up and said, "Sit down, Mr. 'Blank'. That is fanaticism, and as long as I am pastor, we will not have any talk of that kind."

After the service, Mr. 'Blank' surprised his family by going to his vehicle, retrieving the ham, taking it to the pastor, and saying "Pastor, we are so glad you are here. ... We love you, and if we can help you, let us know."

The next morning an unfamiliar vehicle pulled into Mr. 'Blank's' drive and it was the new pastor. He said "I have come to apologize. If there is anything you want to witness to in one of my prayer meetings, go right ahead, because it is obvious that you have found something that I know nothing about. Blessings on you."

Dr. Kinlaw concludes with the observation that "there is a power that comes when we are free from ourselves and free to love."

What a challenge!