That's Amore

"Where there is love there is life." ~ Mahatma Gandhi

 

 

I ❤ love.  Whether it be a mom with her child, a person with their dog, a grandfather with his grandchild, a child being comforted by their parent, a friend listening intently to the concerns of their friend, a veteran for their country- so many examples of living, inspiring, breathtaking love in our lives.  

 ❤ In a less intense way I love lattes, Pride & Prejudice (both the movie and the book), Christmas time, a good cry from a movie, an incredible book I can't put down, Bova's spaghetti & sausage (now forever closed & gone-so a love lost), when I find an incredible necklace or clock at a HUGE discount at an estate sale, sitting by the fireplace on a snowy day, autumn, when my garden grows, seeing a meteor shoot across the sky or  when the Avs win the Stanley Cup.

gioogle photo

When you think of any of the above scenarios, you feel it deep within your soul that the bond between you and the other person can't be explained fully in words, but we try with terms like "committed", "unwavering", "devoted",  "dedicated" or "faithful".  And though we try the best we can, each of those relationships will fail us at times, because they are full of humans.  But we try.  In fact, on Valentine's Day the average person will spend around $175 this year on their significant others to show their love, according to Forbes.  (Jim, if you read this, I would like my $175 in Bourdeux bars from Sees Candies.)

❤ The most beautiful and thorough description of love is given to us by the most perfect example of love ever shown - in Jesus.  

Madonna and Child by Giovoni Battista Salvi da Sassoferrato

God's Word tells us:

❤ How God showed love to us-

    Romans 5:8 "But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

That says in our current state of being human, the Lord died for us.  We don't have to earn it, maintain it, work for it, feel ashamed when we don't live up to it, or be afraid of losing it.  God knew and knows from the beginning who we are and how we are, but didn't make it a condition of Christ dying for us.   That's hard to fathom because we are so human.  

❤ He describes what it is-

    1 Corinthians 13:4-7 "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." 

❤  He ranks its' importance-

    1 Corinthians 13:13 "Three things will last forever - faith, hope, and love - and the greatest of these is love." 

❤ He commands us to love one another-

    1 John 4:9-11 "This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him.  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."

💔Not sure about you but sometimes I am not patient or kind to those I love.  Sometimes my pride gets hurt and I react in a rude way.  There's been a few times that I wanted my own way and made it known.  I do get irritated, and I remember when people are mean to me.  I have been happy when someone got paid back.  I've given up on a few people, lost faith and hope, and just quit.  

Therein lies the human condition.  When we fail at God's perfect love, and we will, what do we do?  God knows we will fail at times, so in His most perfect & loving heart He made a way:

❤ Confess to Him: 

1 John 1:9 "But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness."   

❤ Confess to each other:

James 5:16 "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed." 

❤ Forgive one another

Ephesians 4:32 "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you."

✙ Lord, we come to You as people who have had our hearts broken.  We desperately want and need to be loved and You fulfill every part of that.  You offer to love us unconditionally though we don't deserve it.  Please forgive us when we don't cherish You the way You cherish us.  Create in us a clean heart to love You fully & enable us to love others more fully. Amen.