Love!

Tuesday, August 31, 2010 (7:45 a.m.)

Blessed Lord,

Thank You. You have such a perfect way of reminding me when I’m not behaving as You would have me behave. Take this morning for example. What is the word that honestly keeps jumping right off the pages of our Learning Bible? Love! Yes. Love!

Thank You Lord! Thank You that You continuously allow me to go down the paths that lead to bitterness and resentment. You post the warning signs all around. “Stop”. “Go back”. “Dead End”. But You allow me to go none-the-less. Thank You Lord. [After all, does exercise in futility still end up counting as exercise? J]

Lord, You are so good. So faithful. Thank You for bringing me straight to Your Word this morning. Funny, no, make that sad, that it would take a long held off return of shoulder pain to get enough of my attention to come eagerly to You and Your Word this morning.

I love You Lord. I do! Page after page tells me to love. It is described for me exactly what love is: kind, patient, rejoices in the truth, always supportive, loyal, hopeful, trusting. And what it is not: jealous, boastful, proud, rude, selfish, quick-tempered. “It doesn’t keep a record of wrongs that others do.” Oops! Nor does it rejoice in evil. “Love never fails!” (1Corinthians 13:4-8)

And as if these aren’t enough, I am guided over to Romans 5:1-11 to learn “What It Means To Be Acceptable to God”. I have NOT been gladly suffering, “because we know that suffering helps us to endure. And endurance builds character, which gives us a hope that will never disappoint us. All of this happens because God has given us the Holy Spirit, who fills our hearts with His love.” (vs. 3-5)

Here I’ve been waiting for others to notice my hurt feelings and work to make them better. That is not how You’d have it, is it Lord? You did NOT send Your Son to die on my behalf so I could mope around feeling sorry for myself because I feel unappreciated or taken for granted.

Continue Your work in and through me I pray Dearest Lord. Thank You for another glimpse of grace with You. It is ONLY through Your love for us that I can ever learn to love as You would have me love!

Thank You Lord. I do indeed love You so very much. Thank You. Amen.

(407 words ~ 8:43 a.m.)