Wednesday, February 7, 2018
Saturday, February 3, 2018
He's our Protector
1 Corinthians 13:7a
Love...always protects, always trusts...
Love...always protects, always trusts...
Proverbs 3:6-7
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.
When we're at home our dog, Tater, parks himself between
us. He's our protector. Without a doubt, he'd place himself between me and an
attacker. That's just who he is. He's a good dog who loves us. He trusts us, too.
He knows he'll be fed, watered, and walked every
day. If my dog can show love
through protection and trust, I can too. With my children, I've always been the
mother bear. Protection mode, all the time. My husband loves me by watching out
for me, and I love that. But what about the part, love always trusts? Yes,
Tater trusts us to take care of him. But maybe there's more to loving and trusting.I believe God wants us to not just trust the people we love, but to entrust them to him.
One of the most difficult things I've ever done is
turn my loved ones' safety, health, and life over to the one who loves them the
most. At times, as a mama bear my anxiety choked my ability to think straight.
I felt helpless. No matter what I thought I could do, it wasn't enough. That's
when I knew I had to look up and pray to God. The one I entrust my loved ones
to needed to hear my pleas. He's the one I truly have faith in. It's not easy
to let go and give our needs to God. But I know when I do, God gives me
strength and comfort. He pours his peace over me. I'll admit, I still struggle
with letting go and letting God. But that doesn't keep me from trusting in him
and crying out.
Love always protects and trusts when we hand our
cares and worries over to the one we believe can move a mountain. Even when the
situation seems impossible, God cares and listens. The creator and worker of
miracles loves you more than you and those you love even know. Trust the Lord
with all your heart because he loves you.
Wednesday, January 31, 2018
Saturday, January 27, 2018
The Choice to Love
1 Corinthians 13:6
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
John 11:3-5
So the sisters sent word to Jesus, "Lord, the one you love is sick."
When he heard this, Jesus said, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
So the sisters sent word to Jesus, "Lord, the one you love is sick."
When he heard this, Jesus said, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
I've been reading a novel where the main character
flees from her abusive husband. Here's the kicker—the husband who physically,
mentally, and emotionally abuses her, says he loves her. The story breaks my
heart, but thanks to God, she's surrounded by friends who love her and help
her. Even though this is fiction, the story resonates with truth. People say
they love others, but is the love reflective of evil or God's truth? Does the
"best friend" gossip behind her BFFs back? Maybe a sibling's anger over
who-knows-what creates an uncomfortable situation. I could go on, but I think
you see where I'm heading with this.
The love I have for my spouse, my children, my
parents, my siblings, my friends, my church— must rejoice in truth. Just like
Jesus loved his family and friends. In the book of John, we read about Jesus
raising Lazarus from the dead. Jesus could have said, "sorry sisters, I
can't do a thing to help out Lazarus." He could have left them to mourn
their brother. But instead, Jesus went to them and healed his friend who he
loved. He rejoiced in the truth that Lazarus' restored life brought glory to
God.
Life brings choices. Decisions on how I treat the
people I'm called to love. Do I belittle them to make myself look better? Do I
yell at them? Do I ignore their needs? Or do I reach out to them as Jesus did,
with love?
Choose to love.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.
Wednesday, January 24, 2018
Saturday, January 20, 2018
Shine like Stars...in Love
1 Corinthians 13:5
Love...does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love...does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Philippians 2:3-4
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
As a mom, I didn't always have the best discipline methods.
One time my three girls were doing what siblings
sometimes do, arguing. Who knows what the squabble was about, probably
something trivial, but it ended with name calling. Frustrated, I wanted to end
the quarrel. So instead of telling them to stop, or sitting them down to
discuss their behavior, I yelled out, "Let's just...call each other
names." Well that stopped the fight, all right. All three of them busted
out laughing...at me. So maybe it wasn't the best method, but it worked. You
see, I hate name calling, especially among loved ones.
When we love someone like Jesus loves, there is no
place for rudeness, selfishness, quick anger or grudges. Think about it, these
are the people we love. We've chosen to love our spouses, our family, our
friends, our church. I'm not just talking about the call to love all people.
I'm talking about the love we have for those who are dear to us. When I think
about Jesus and the love he has for me, I am humbled to my knees. He gave his
life for me and you. Like Jesus, I aim to value the people I love.
Philippians 2:14-15 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky...
Wednesday, January 17, 2018
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