completely unexpected

Saturday, November 24, 2012 (7:17 a.m.)

Bountifully Blessed, Beloved Father,

It was all going to being with a very simple “Good Morning”. Then the adjectives started coming. Different ways to describe You. Hmmm...

Take me in prayer exactly where You want me to go this morning Dearest God. My original thought? “Thou shalt not judge” (Matthew 7:1). “Judge not lest ye be judged” (Luke 6:37).

Then the other words came to mind. Discern. Conclude. Where shall we spend our time together in Your Word right now?

Okay. Let's start in the first chapter of Paul's letter to the Philippians. We'll start right there and I will trust that You are going to teach me more of what You what me to know this morning.

Let me begin with the confession that You know needs to come. Father God, I judge people. And their motives. Unmercifully. But then I have to ask You, is it really judgment? Or is it doubt? Am I not at all good at discerning? Do I jump headlong into wrong conclusions? You tell me, won't You? Please?

And now, here I am turning it all back to what Your Word (1Corinthians 13:4-7) has to say about love. What it is. And what it is not. 

I don't know that we will be able to tie this all together in a timely manner this morning. The more I think I know, the deeper into Your Word we go.

May I just say, this is nuts! There is NO WAY that the mere thought of ♫Life's A Happy Song♫ from last year's Muppet Movie should have me in tears. No Way! Yet here I am. And even in saying that, off I go again...

♫God will make a way Where there seems to be no way He works in ways we cannot see He will make a way for me He will be my guide Hold me closely to His side With love and strength for each new day He will make a way, He will make a way♫

Okay. With THAT sung and tears drying, let's get back to all Your Word is teaching me about love this morning.

Are You $#@%ing kidding me? No sooner do I turn to 1Corinthians 13:3-7 in The Message then the tears come right back. I KNOW You have something serious to show me here! Break open my stony heart (Ezekiel 36:26) and let in Your Truth.

Now I can't even form a thought. I'm reading again of Your prophet Ezekiel and if I'm not really careful gut wrenching sobs are going to come forth. Under Chapter 36. Restoration in the Illustrated Bible Handbook God's Motivation and Purposes; 36:22-38 “...The Lord's holiness will be demonstrated to all the nations, not only in judgment, but in restoration. Only God is able to take such sinners and transform them, so they at last respond to His Spirit and desire to keep His laws (22-27).”

Most Holy God, how desperately I long to respond to Your law of love! TRUE love as Your Word so perfectly presents it. I don't come anywhere near loving as Jesus commanded His disciples on the night He was betrayed. “I demand you love each other as much as I love you. And here is how to measure it – the greatest love is shown when a person lays down his life for his friends” (John 15:12-13a).

I don't love like that. My love comes nowhere near the standard set by You, through Paul, to the people of Corinth:

Love never gives up. [I do. FAR too often]

Love cares more for others than for self. [I don't very often]

Love doesn't want what it doesn't have. [YOU know my heart!]

Love doesn't strut. [Again, You know me]

Doesn't have a swelled head, [how often do I think I'm “all that”?]

Isn't always “me first,” [Hmm...]

Doesn't fly off the handle, [maybe not as much as before]

Doesn't keep score of the sins of others, [see paragraph 2 above]

Doesn't revel when others grovel, [maybe not]

Takes pleasure in the flowering of Truth [THIS I do!]

Puts up with anything, [not so much]

Trusts God always, [I really do try!]

Always looks for the best, [I WANT to!]

Never looks back, [again, hmm...]

But keeps going to the end. [ONLY with Your help!]

More simply broken down from an uncited source: “Love provides: (1) forgiveness, (2) patience, (3) kindness, (4) love for: truth, (5) justice, (6) the best in a person, (7) loyalty at any cost, (8) belief in a person no matter what. Love does not allow for: (1) jealousy, (2) envy, (3) pride, (4) arrogance, (5) selfishness, (6) rudeness, (7) a demand for one's own way, (8) irritability, (9) grudges.”

Father God, I confess. I do not love like this. In and of my own power I CAN'T love like this. But YOU can! Through me.

And now back to where we started so much earlier. Philippians 1:9. [You're good God. You are REALLY, incredibly good!]

The first two translations I read are different by only the last word. The King James Version says, “And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment,”. The American Standard Version uses “discernment”. Isn't this exactly where we began so much earlier?

Father I love You. I ask You to work in me this day. Teach me to love exactly as You would have me. Thank You so much. Amen.

(930 words ~ 9:00 a.m.)