Love Beyond our Understanding...

Hello to everyone in cyberspace!

This PW Devotional comes late to you, but well worth the read.

I don't know if you celebrated Valentine's Day or let it skip on by...either way, this Devo is a great reminder of the complete LOVE God has for those of us who are in Christ.

 

The love God has for us and wants to express through us to the world around us is so much BIGGER than our current passion, obsession, circumstance or position in this life.  Do you believe that?

 

I was recently in an email conversation with a friend I reconnected with over Facebook (that online social networking site which is a joy to many and "the devil" to others).  We haven't spoken to each other in over 13 years.  Pride, circumstances, hurt feelings, life, etc., got in the way of our relationship and we both let our friendship lie cast off, untended, and abandoned in the gutter of life.  It seems we may be able to "pick up where we left off" as my friend wrote.  Perhaps time, growing up and putting on a more realistic view of friends, etc., will give us the platform from which we embark upon a new friendship.  I am hopeful.

 

As I consider this friendship, my thoughts turn to God and His incredible love for us.  It will take work, a talking through of 13 years and time to rebuild a once vibrant friendship.  With God, time isn't an issue.  He is always there, right there next to you and me, waiting, welcoming and wanting us no matter where we are or what we are doing.  He doesn't "suffer" from our abandoning of our relationship with Him.  We certainly suffer, however.  Each moment we spend NOT in a right relationship with Him is a moment lost forever.  I think this is why Frank and I push, prod and impress upon each one of you the importance of loving, focusing on and serving God now.

"Everything" is so important to you travelling through your teen years.  The sad side to this is "everything" doesn't include God.  So many of us focus on "everything" else, but God.  We focus on relationships.  We focus on things.  We focus on certain speakers.  We focus on future plans.  We focus on dances, sports, a trip to Hawaii, shopping, etc.  Relationships will disappoint us.  Things will grow tarnished and need replacing.  Plans fall through.  Dances come and go.  Sporting events thrill for the moment and then are done.  Trips end.  Shopping loses its lure as time, money or opportunity evaporates.  Speakers, pastors, etc., rise and fall.  If we retrain our focus on God, His purpose, His plan and who He is...we are never disappointed, never let down and never come up short.  As Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and don't lean on your on understanding.  In all your ways, acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight."

 

Are you trusting God in all areas of your life?  Are you showing His love to those around you?  Read on.
 

PlanetWisdom.com Devotionals

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Love Week: What It Is Posted: 14 Feb 2010 10:00 AM PST "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." (1 John 4:10-12) Happy Valentine's Day. (Unless you're boycotting the day, then just, "Happy Day!") I guarantee you that the words in today's passage about real, true love are way better than those written in any greeting card anyone will get today. This is love defined: We didn't love God; He loved us and proved it. This is love's demand: Pass it on. Make heroic sacrifices for other people. Give away your most treasured moments, dollars, ideas, and relationships for the good of another. This is love displayed: If you are in Christ, the God who loves you is alive in you loving everyone you know. Think: How seriously do you take being loved by God? How seriously do you take giving His love to others? Can you have one without the other? (Hint: no.) Pray: Ask God to help you to love others with the same love He has given to you. Do: Read more about love in 1 John 4:7-21.

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Mary E.Hickcox
www.CalvaryBaptistSM.org
http://mary-neotes.blogspot.com/