‘Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs’
1 Corinthians 13:4-5
Thought
Love does not focus on myself, but on others. Each of these qualities of love is based upon an affectionate, compassionate, and forgiving attitude that regards others as being valuable and not just placing value on myself and my desires. No wonder the old saying goes “The middle of sIn is a big “I!” When “I” become more important than others and what “I” want and that “I” win is more significant than what someone else truly needs, then “I” have lost my way and do not display the love of Christ.
Prayer
Holy God and Sacrificial Father, teach me to notice others and value them just as you do. I know you loved me when I was not lovable, and redeemed me when I was not worthy. Help me to take my eyes off myself and see others as you see them. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.
“Yet the Lord still waits for you to come to Him, so He can show you His love” Isaiah 30:18
I read a book entitled The Sacred Romance. The author calls God’s love for us, “The Sacred Romance.” And he calls the enemy’s attempts to lure us away from God, “The Arrows.”
Here is an excerpt that touched my heart deeply:
“Indeed, if we listen, a Sacred Romance calls to us through our heart every moment of our lives. It whispers to us on the wind, invites us through the laughter of good friends, reaches out to us through the touch of someone we love. We heard it in our favorite music, sensed it at the birth of our first child, have been drawn to it while watching the shimmer of a sunset on the ocean. The Romance is even present in times of great personal suffering; the illness of a child, the loss of a marriage, the death of friend. Something calls to us through experiences like these and rouses an inconsolable longing deep within our heart, wakening in us a yearning for intimacy, beauty and adventure.
This longing is the most powerful part of any human personality. It fuels our search for meaning, for wholeness, for a sense of being truly alive.”
This longing is real. This longing is God-given and cannot be satisfied by anyone or anything but God.
When I first read the book, memories came to mind about times when I knew for sure God was there in a very special, but quiet way.
There were the times when, as a pre-teen, I’d go fishing in the in the stream that ran through our dairy farm. It was so quiet yet God’s presence was so real. Can you think of a time like that?
I knew God loved me very much shortly after the death of my brother, Frank. God gave me two dreams where my brother was alive. After the last one, I awoke and said to God, “Let me look at him a little while longer.” And He did.
I know God shows his love for me when I see the miracle of a new baby – at the birth of each of our children and grandchildren. God brings so much joy, fun and delight into our lives as we watch these little ones develop. He gives us joy!
I know He loves me when He gives the words of wisdom or kindness to help a person understand how much God loves them.
I know God loves me whenever my husband, Marvin, smiles at me. He is the light of my life.
God is waiting to show us His love in all of its fullness – in our joy and in our sorrow. Sometimes we are just too busy to recognize Him.
There is nothing more significant I could wish and pray for you than that you would take the time to recognize the “Sacred Romance” in your life. I want to encourage you to reflect and make a list of times when God has shown you that He is your “Sacred Romance.”
Father, thank You for pursuing us. Thank You for loving us so much for providing those special moments of “Sacred Romance.” Help us to recognize them. God, help us to receive all the love You have for us. Amen.
