Love Is

Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ~ 1 Corinthians 13:4-5

I am sure all of us have heard this scripture many of times; in weddings, in sermons, even out of our own mouths when we are trying to explain to someone what God's love looks like.  Every time I would need to break up an argument between my young boys, I would find myself using this scripture - "remember boys, love is kind."  These words have touched the ears of believers and non-believers alike.  I know that God's love is patient, but mine is far from it.  Now and again I have to remind myself that being patient is a virtue and if I want to be in God's will, I must be patient - patient with my stubborn children, patient with my needy co-workers and even patient with my hurried husband when everything else seems to be placed above "us".  How much do I have to give already?  Well, according to this scripture, we should give sacrificially of ourselves so that we can show Christ's love to others.  Lack of this Christ centered love is to invite problems of jealousy, contempt and anger just to name a few characteristics into our relationships and life.  The kindness we show one another is much more pleasing to watch than the division that permeates our culture.  Not to mention that it gives much more peace to our hearts and souls....so why not show unmerited kindness?  Don't worry about what you may, or may not receive in return; just give kindness.  The harsh tongue lashed out on others to destroy them is much harder to take back than the silent lip, or kind word.  The ability to take captive all the  reminders of what someone has done to you and leave them at Jesus' feet without rehashing to your offender will rock that person's world.  Your ability to forgive the offense, let go and let God and never bring it up again aides more to the healing then land blasting them every time with your hurts....so why not choose to let it go?  God knows we are human and are going to mess up trying to live out His love, but we are expected to try our best so others will see the difference from the world's ways.  I have a long, long ways to go, but God's way to love is much better than my own instincts....so I will continue to strive to show God's love.  Patience and kindness can go a long way.  ~ Amen

His Will

Why you do not even know what will happen tomorrow.  What is your life?  You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.  Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." ~  James 4:14 

If all of your perfectly planned plans for your life, or even for tomorrow, were completely turned upside down, what would you do?  Do you freak out, or are you the type of person that can roll with the punches?  I love to have a routine, a schedule, some sort of outline for my busy day and when things don't go as I planned, I can have a bit of a freak out moment.  But what if what you thought needed to happen wasn't in God's plan?  What if what God had designed for your day was something completely different?  How about for your life?!  For your kids' life?!  I think sometimes God sends us what I like to call "divine interruptions" because one of a couple of things may be happening:

1.  Maybe a friend needs a little extra help.  This could be in the form of actual physical help, or someone to talk to, or maybe just a friendly ear.

2.  God disrupts our plans because they were actually going to cause us grief either now, or later on.  He's saving us from ourselves.

OR

3.  Even though we didn't see the trials, or trouble, God allowed it to cause us, and/or maybe those around us, to lean into Him; to cause us to turn back to Him.  

Decisions and plans that will have lasting impacts on us, or our loved ones should always be brought to God in prayer first.  I am still learning this.  Needing to plan is part of my life and God would have it be a part of yours also as it's foolish not to be wise and plan, but we need to ask if we are in God's will and timing, or our own and I am not talking about only the mundane tasks of your day; although those can  be interrupted as well, I am talking abut plans that can have an impact on your life, or others.  I am learning to plan, pray and seek wisdom on timing and to make sure I am not hurrying for an answer.  While "GO" is an answer, we must remember that "wait" and "no" are also answers and sometimes what we need to hear.  Life is full of "GO"; "apply for that new job"; "buy that house"; "move your family"; "take that opportunity".  

But life is also full of "wait"; "no, not now"; "this is not the right house, or neighborhood"; "this is not the time for you to bail on your job"; "you are right were I need you".  

Make sure you are listening to His will.  Ask Him to show you.  And if you don't hear anything, continue to pray and wait. ~ Amen 

Childbirth Pains

My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you. ~ Galatians 4:19

God and Jesus want a relationship with you; they want to know you intimately, but they do not force this relationship - they wait for your decision.  Paul is trying to get the Christians in Galatia to understand that the teachings that require many laws and traditions to be followed are no longer a requirement - the old law is gone.  He is in anguish for these new believers as a soon to be new mother is in anguish during childbirth.  He can't wait for them to understand that our relationship with Christ is based on what HE has done for us and not on what WE do for Him.  The false teachers want to glorify themselves, but to truly be "born again" is to let Christ grab hold and transform you into a believer who longs for relationship with Him and pulls you out of legalistic duties.  Paul is genuinely concerned for these people as when he was with them they believed, but he has gotten word that while he has been away they have started to revert back to their old ways and so he is hurting for them.  He can only describe his hurt for them as a mother in childbirth - wanting so much to see these new believers grab onto what the Lords has already done for them and grow up in that relationship.  He wants to see Christ in them, to see a new birth in their hearts and souls.  We need to let Christ shine so bright in our lives that our worldly desires are second to wanting what Christ wants.  We need to be "born again" so that we can be refreshing and revitalizing light to a lost world; so our hope is evident and clear to others.  Only faith in Christ can bring about the joy and hope that remains through tough times and the darkest of days.  Christ will transform the old ways of laws and legalism that many hold onto into the new way of hope, restoration and forgiveness. ~ AMEN