Meditate. What is love?
ר [Resh] Look upon my
suffering and rescue me, for I have not forgotten your instructions. Argue my
case; take my side! Protect my life as you promised. The wicked are far from
rescue, for they do not bother with your decrees. LORD, how great is your mercy;
let me be revived by following your regulations. Many persecute and trouble me,
yet I have not swerved from your laws. Seeing these traitors makes me sick at
heart, because they care nothing for your word. See how I love your
commandments, LORD. Give back my life because of your unfailing love. The very
essence of your words is truth; all your just regulations will stand forever. Psalm 119:153-160
Protect my life as you promised. I cling to the promises that the Lord has made. Promises are important. As I’ve mentioned recently, my favorite promise is that the Lord will never leave me or forsake me. Somehow that is really significant to me—not that I’ve ever felt abandoned or rejected. My folks really wanted a son, and the doctor told them that I was going to be a boy…but I wasn’t, so I always thought I was a disappointment to them. They didn’t reject me, and they had two sons after I was born, but still I just felt not totally loved. I wasn’t their favorite. But I learned early in life by the song, Jesus love me. And I always felt that my Grandmothers loved me. I was named after one and the other one put up with me visiting after club meetings once a week for several years. I was a noisy kid—but I was always welcome. That is love.
Yesterday I was working in my yard
for a couple of hours in the morning…before it got really hot. As I worked I contemplated what love really
is. We know that God is love from 1 John 4:8. The classic description of
love in the Bible tells us that love is…
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful
or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it
keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but
rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith,
is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Prophecy and
speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But
love will last forever! ... Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and
love—and the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, 13
But on my anniversary I was deep in thought about love…how it starts and continues…and sometimes stops. I think there is a romantic element—sometimes even lustful that sparks that love…or is sparked by love, yet I recall asking my sister just before she was getting married, “How do you know if you really love someone?” She said that it was when you knew you cared more about that other person than yourself. Hmmm. We are supposed to love our neighbor…those around us, not necessarily next door…as ourselves. Well—what about people who don’t love themselves, those with low self-esteem? What about people who have arranged marriages…or marry out of some way of escape. I was thinking of my paternal grandparents. My grandmother came over to the US alone on a boat from Odessa, Russia at the age of fourteen. Her money was stolen as she slept and she became an endured servant to the family who helped her when she arrived in New York and traveled across the country to Washington State where her sister already lived. As the story goes, a young man saw her working so hard for those people and he offered to marry her. Her knight in shining armor! Then she worked for him. My grandparents were married for over 50 years and had six children. Grandma was always busy…working…in her kitchen, house, garden…cleaning, cooking, baking, canning, sewing, crocheting, planting or weeding. It was Grandma who taught me what weeds are…the curse of the ground. So as I weeded my yard, I thought of her…and love. Her life was protected by God…mine is, too.
Prayer ~ LORD, don't hold back your tender mercies from me. Let your unfailing love and faithfulness always protect me. Psalm 40:11
Verse of Salvation ~ This is what the LORD says: "At just the right time, I will respond to you. On the day of salvation I will help you. I will protect you and give you to the people as my covenant with them. Through you I will reestablish the land of Israel and assign it to its own people again. Isaiah 49:8
Friday’s Feasting at the King’s Table
We can’t live on bread alone. We must have water.
Be sure to drink enough water to stay hydrated
during this HOT time of the summer. Keep your water pure and uncontaminated. We
need to drink at least eight glasses of water…more when it is hot and we’ve
been outdoors. Don’t get dehydrated. If you are outside and feel hot, drink
more water, seek shade or go indoors. Place a cool washcloth on your forehead,
or take a cool shower to cool your body down if you have gotten overheated.
Take care of your body…it is the Temple of the Holy Spirit. Take care of your
heart and your head…as well as your body.
Near the headwater of the Jordan River.
Israel
We must have water.
Spiritually, seek the Living Water that Jesus
offers. Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the
Scriptures declare, 'Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.' John
7:38
Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character
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