so very many ways

Friday, May 29, 2020 (5:53 a.m.)

Holy God,

It’s the day my parents were married. 72 years ago. Interesting that I would wake up to ♪Wild One♪ by Bobby Rydell singing in my head.

Lord, thank You for whichever one of them wanted the other most. We have been blessed many times over by the true, imperfect love they had for each other.

Thank You for an absolutely full day of working over at the home they had built together 65 years ago. There were a lot of memories and realizations in the nine hours I spent there.

Oh and thank You for the prompt and ability to take heart decorations out to their plots at the cemetery. Holy God, You have truly blessed us in so very many ways. How I ask You Lord that we would use these blessings to Your glory and the good of others.

Will You talk with me this morning about loving You, myself and others as You originally intended? With all of our hearts and souls, minds and strength (Mark12:30-31).

Father, I am truly grateful to be considered one of Yours. I long to love better than I do. Oh, look! Tears are ready to fall.

Holy God, Your love for us knows no bounds. And here we are still making baby steps toward loving as You have taught.

Turning to the apostle Paul’s words to the church at Corinth my heart feels split wide open. The Life Recovery Bible describes his PURPOSE as being “to encourage the believers living in Corinth to resolve their problems and honor God.”

Wow! Doesn’t that just sum up what You would have us do on a regular basis? Resolve our problems and honor You.

Along these very lines I turn to chapter 13, verses 4-7 in The Message. Being instructed again. “Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Loves doesn’t want what it doesn’t have. Love doesn’t strut, Doesn’t have a swelled head, Doesn’t force itself on others, Isn’t always ‘me first,’ Doesn’t fly off the handle, Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, Doesn’t revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of Truth, Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end.”

You’ve spelled it out for us Lord. You’ve also promised to be with us always (Matthew 28:20). We’re not called to do anything in our own power or strength, but in Yours (Ephesians 6:10).

So it is absolutely to You I turn, asking for an even deeper understanding and ability to love as You have it all spelled out for us.

Here it is from The Passion Translation. “Love is large and incredibly patient. Love is gentle and consistently kind to all. It refuses to be jealous when blessing comes to someone else. Love does not brag about one’s achievements nor inflate its own importance. Love does not traffic in shame and disrespect, nor selfishly seek its own honor. Love is not easily irritated or quick to take offense. Love joyfully celebrates honesty and finds no delight in what is wrong. Love is a safe place of shelter, for it never stops believing the best for others. Love never takes failure as defeat, for it never gives up.”

I want to love like this Blessed God. How I ask You to continue Your detailed work in me toward this end. Making me a safe place of shelter, always believing the best for others.

You have placed this desire in me Lord. I look to You for this. And so very many other ways of sharing the love with which I was raised. By two imperfect people who loved each other the very best they were able.

Thank You Father. Bless them and all of their offspring. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

(661 words ~ 7:11 a.m.)