I had been just recently engaged and was still working as a waitress when I had a conversation with an elderly man from my church that had come into the restaurant to eat. He congratulated me on my engagement and then finished it with: "I know you are excited and in love, but you really do not know true love..." I was only 20 at the time, but I did know enough to recognize that he spoke the truth. He and his wife had been married for decades. They understood commitment. Loving the unlovely in each other. Dedication when there weren't always lovey feelings between the two of them. They understood forgiveness of faults and imperfections.
God often speaks to me in themes. I have yet to figure out if my skull is so thick that He has to emphasize a lot? hehe. (But, really...) Nevertheless, I've learned to pay attention to the reoccurring themes. The past months have been a re emphasis on love. (This post is not about marriage or spouses, although those that are married can relate) At the very beginning of this blog I asked God to help me blog with love because very simply and plainly put in His word is His admonition that we can do many things, but if we have not love, we gain nothing - we are nothing - and our words and actions are just, well, loud nonsense noise. *I Corinthians 13: 1-3 I kinda don't want to be a loser, ya know? He's been really faithful at answering my prayers. And while the word love can conjure up warm fuzzies for young lovers in a heartbeat, I have learned in my short lifetime that love is not an easy thing.
It is sacrificial.
It takes a look at self and says: I will live without impatience (even as an American). I will not be unkind. I will not live wanting what others have - whether it be their possessions, accomplishments, personality, on and on, yada yada...I will not envy them. I will not brag about myself and my accomplishments. I will not live with an ego and an aire about me that makes others feel small or less than who they are. I will not demand attention be given to me. I won't be rude. I don't have to have me taken care of first and foremost. I won't require that people meet my demands before I accept their love. I won't fly off the handle over upsets. I won't live with an unforgiving heart - I won't replay mentally wrongs done to me to nurse my wounds. I won't justify evil. I won't bristle and roll my eyes when the truth is revealed and spoken. I won't be afraid to defend the truth. I won't stand back and watch or join in when others are gossiped about or put down. I won't rely on and focus on the worst in others. I won't bring others down with my negativity and bad attitudes. I will not take the easy way out or around. I will. not. quit. on my God, on myself, and on others. (opposites adapted from) *I Corinthians 13: 4-7
I'm going to excuse myself now to go lie down and take a nap. That paragraph of "being perfect" was exhausting to read. It's exhausting to remember how imperfect I am. *sigh
"Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness." *Lamentations 3: 21-23
This verse has become even more meaningful to me in the past several months...let me explain why...
Have you ever stopped to meditate on God's love? It is becoming more and more important to me to ask God often to enable me, with His power, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to KNOW this love that surpasses knowledge. *Ephesians 3:18-19 I am convinced that the more you and I grasp His great love for us - and that we BELIEVE unswervingly that He does love and cherish us as individuals without question - that it will enable us to love beyond what we thought possible.
God is love. *I John 4:16 Love is not just a feeling to Him. His very being, His very character, His very essence is love. He is perfect love. *I Samuel 22:31 *Psalm 18:30 His love never fails. *I Cor. 13:8 He loves us perfectly. And because He does, He is all we need. He. is. enough. And He loved us, first. *I John 4:19 When we were born into a sin-filled world and have lived imperfect lives - He sent His own Son to die for you and I. *Romans 5:8 And even now, He disciplines His children because He loves them. (US!) Proverbs 3:11-12
I am not a fan of gruesome. I'm not a fan of violence. I will turn my face or change a channel as quick as anyone to avoid it. But, I think it is a healthy thing at times to be reminded of the suffering that occurred so that you and I might have life. To sit and reflect on the descriptions and portrayals of Jesus' sacrifice that the Bible gives us. Anguish so strong His sweat came like drops of blood. *Luke 22:44 [possibly hematidrosis - the actual mingling of blood and sweat as in cases of extreme anguish, strain, or sensitivity] A crown made out of thorns was crafted for His head. (I step in one pricker and I'm dancing on one foot until I get it out!) He was beaten on the head with a stick after it was placed on His head. Over and over. *Matthew 27: 29-30 *Mark 15: 17, 19 He was mocked, spit upon, and flogged. His appearance became disfigured beyond that of any man and His form marred beyond human likeness. *Isaiah 52:14 And then, He endured the torment of crucifixion from the third hour *Mark 15:25 to the ninth hour. *Mark 15: 34, 37 It is difficult to fathom that kind of love.
This is love #1: That He loved us first. *I John 4:10
"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." *Ephesians 5:1-2
"Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." *I John 4:11
This is love #2: When His love becomes so real and so tangible in our own lives, that it fills us and spills out - with joy - from our own hearts to others.
I Corinthians 13 is a highly popular chapter on love, as it should be. But, I have found it helpful to dig for other love treasures as well. Here are some of my favorites. "Love must be sincere..." *Romans 12:9 I don't need to pause at all in saying it doesn't feel good when I feel the recipient of insincere love. Pretty sure you'd agree?? "But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." *Matthew 5:44 *Romans 12:14 In my past God has asked me the probing question: What does your prayer life look like, Julie? Does it include lifting up those that have hurt you? (What forgiveness does NOT do is excuse the wrong. God is a just God. He's got your back! *Romans 12:19 Make a conscious effort to hand it over to Him and live free. Be honest with Him about your hurt. He knows the truth already.) "Dear children, let us not love with words or speech, but with actions and in truth." *I John 3:18 You know that phrase: Actions speak louder than words. ? Well, there's a whole lot of truth to that. It can be a WHOLE lot easier to say "I believe in love" than to take action and live sacrificially.
This is red love: That we choose to live sold out. That we choose to honor Jesus' command to take up our cross and follow Him. That we love Him with our whole heart. And if we love Him - we obey His commands. *John 14:15 That we live with active confession in our lives, with active uprooting and renouncing of our sin.
Back to the verse from Lamentations 3...I have always read that verse in the context of "we are not consumed" by destruction because of our sin and His wrath against sin. And while I still read it that way, I felt God giving me a different perspective over these last several months. That because of His great love, we can live *not consumed* by whatever sin or struggle is binding us. Because of the Lord's great love:
I can live free from bitterness.
I can live free from overeating. From indulging the flesh.
I can live free from undisciplined use of my time.
I can live free from jealousy.
I can live free from impatience.
I can live free from fear.
I don't have to fear that I am not doing enough. I don't have to fear that I cannot overcome my sin. I don't have to fear that He is the angry God that is waiting to strike me down. Instead, I will accept His perfect love. For it drives out my fear. *I John 4:18
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. *Philippians 4:13
I can live not consumed by what drags me down.
This was of great comfort and encouragement to me. May God use it to give you the same.
You can live free from being consumed with ______________. Because of His great love.
Join me in consciously keeping the love in our lives red hot and on fire?! *Revelation 3:15 It is i.m.p.o.r.t.a.n.t. It is important because of the threat of blue love.
This is blue love: The love of most growing cold in the end times. *Matthew 24:12 I could feel blue pretty quickly if I allow myself to look around me for very long. I say that because it doesn't take long to see love growing cold already. It seems rather harmless to let our hearts become a little icy around the edges, you know? To think: I'm tired of loving. I'm tired of living without what makes me "feel good". I'm tired of giving, without getting anything in return. The majority of the time the process isn't overnight, but the next thing we know - whether we are observing or have experienced it within our own hearts - the heart is one big iceberg and we no longer care about much else that doesn't involve taking care of "me". It is heartbreaking to observe. The words of a song from the group Petra fill my mind:
Don't let your heart be hardened.
Don't let your love grow cold.
May it always stay so childlike.
May it never grow too old.
Don't let your heart be hardened.
May it always know the cure:
Keep it broken before Jesus, keep it thankful, meek, and pure.
Let His love rain down upon you.
Breaking up your fallow ground.
Let it loosen all the binding.
'Til only tenderness is found.
I feel like God has taken me back to the basics of love these past few months. Has reminded me of the greatest of these. Because, they'll know that we are Christians by our love. *John 13:35
No matter your circumstances right now, you are loved. Now matter how new you are to the Christian walk, and feel you may know so little, you are loved. No matter the depth of your sin, you are loved. He wants to free you from it. You may be disciplined by it. But, you. are. still. loved.
"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor ANYTHING else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Jesus Christ our Lord". *Romans 8:37-39
Ok Dr. Seuss - you get one little shout-out for the help with pulling together the title of this blog. :)
To my God - I bow before You unworthy. You raise me up because of Your great love. Tomorrow, I want to grasp and know this great and true love of Yours a little more than I did today. My friends bow before you unworthy. You raise them up because of Your great love. Tomorrow, help them to grasp and know this great and true love of Yours a little more than they did today. You are committed to loving us. What a great and precious promise.
The elderly man from my church that I had the conversation with years ago is now face to face with the One who loved Him first. His bride is there too. And while he could still say to me "but you really do not know true love", I live with gratitude for the experiences that have enabled me to understand what I know to this day and I look forward to the pursuit of grasping it's depth until I'm standing beside them in the New Jerusalem.
One day at a time sweet Jesus,
Jules
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