love one another

Wednesday, February 12, 2014 (7:01 a.m.)

Loving Father,

“Love one another”. This seems such a perfect command to examine these two days before the Feast of Saint Valentine.

I scour Your Word. Searching not what; nor where, when, why or who. No Father. Again I want to know how! We are told to “not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately” (Philippians 1:9 The Message).

And here my eyes are so filled with tears that I can no longer see words or letters. And it's the same as all the times I've read this verse before. Because I know that I do not love as You would have me love.

The love I show others is always conditional. As much as I would like it to be different than it is, the love I offer is not given freely nor extravagantly as You provide. No. Mine is based on merit. Feelings may have gotten hurt so I'll make sure to hurt some in return.

This is NOT why Jesus came and died on the cross for my sins! John 10:10 (The Voice) quotes Him as saying, “The thief approaches with malicious intent, looking to steal, slaughter, and destroy; I came to give life with joy and abundance.”

My thoughts spin and whirl in self judgment. The tears stop. There is a firm resolve as I again consider the Truth of Your Word.

As I had originally thought, I am led to read 1Corinthians 13. But not just verses 4-7 as I had expected. No. The WHOLE thing! What Is Real Love? Oh, look. More tears! Of conviction.

Verse one, “If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate.” The declaration of my guilt goes on with each verse. I say things without thinking. My words hurt people to their core. This is not love!

“Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love... never dies” (4-8a). And here my heart quivers as I again choose to hope in Your promises. “We don't yet see things clearly. We're squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won't be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We'll see it all then, see it as clearly as God sees us, knowing Him directly just as He knows us!” (v.12)

“But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love” (13). I'm not doing such a great job of this here on my own.

And just when I start to think of myself as hopeless, a bookmark I fashioned years ago draws me to John 14:17a. “He (the Comforter Jesus promised) is the Holy Spirit, the Spirit who leads into all Truth.”

I am again reminded that it is not me, but YOU working/living in and through me. How I ask You to get me out of Your way that I can honestly, truly love as You have designed me to love. I love You Father. And all this I ask in Your Son's most holy name. Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(550 words ~ 9:15 a.m.)