A Month Of Love?

Well, this is the month  that includes a day of Love,  It also has been a month of many days of snow.  We do not know if you received a lot of snow where you are, however, we did.  We got approximately four and a half feet.  While we know that God is always in control of all things, and all things work together for good for those who love the Lord and are the called according to His purpose.  I think for the most part that most of us have had enough snowfall.  Perhaps God shut down this some parts of the world to draw us closer to Him and cause us to love Him and each other more.  February the 14th is one day out of the year that is set aside for love, should it be just one day or always. We feel that everyday love should be shown and expressed to someone.  We just celebrated thirty-three years of marriage on the 12th of this month and we must admit, that we are grateful to God for the times and years that He has allowed us to spend with one another. While it was not our plan to celebrate here, and we were snowed it, we still celebrated during the storm.  Love can be celebrated anywhere in any condition; the weather or the circumstances surrounding us should not dampened our love for one another.

What is true love to you?  It is just flowers and candy on Valentine's Day, or do you feel that everyday should be a special sharing and caring for all of God's people?  As we think about love, we reflect on the love that God has for each of us.  Think of how He has kept us through the cold. blizzard, and wind.  Think of the fact that you had food to eat, warm clothing to put on, a warm fire to sit by, a cup of hot tea, or hot chocolate to drink, your gas and electric were on.  We somehow forget the love that God demonstrates to us daily.  It amazed us as we visited some stores during this past weekend and watched as hundreds of people spent hundreds of dollars to express materially their love for someone.  Wouldn't it be nice if we could show that kind of love daily in just little things that would cost us nothing but time?  How about finding someone that still needs a hand to shovel more snow, or someone who cannot get out to the store, or needs a ride to the doctor's office, or to reach out to someone in your neighborhood or community.

As this month draws to a close, let's consider an act of love towards someone who least expects it from us.  Look for someone that you can show love to for any reason. Look outside of your immediate family, think of that person who is unlovable to you and deliberately express an act of love towards them.  We will be the first to admit that loving the unlovable is not an easy task, however, it can be done.  If we think of ourselves and how we  sometimes act, yet God in all of His kindness loves us unconditionally.  His love for us is not based on our attitude or reciprocating love back to Him.  He simply love us just the way we are.   Let's take time to revisit I Corinthians 13.  Are we even remotely close to exhibiting this kind of love to anyone?  As we ponder these verses, ask the Holy Spirit to search the depth of our heart so that He can reveal the type of love that is hidden within us. 

1Co 13:1  I may speak in the languages of humans and of angels. But if I don't have love, I am a loud gong or a clashing cymbal.
1Co 13:2  I may have the gift to speak what God has revealed, and I may understand all mysteries and have all knowledge. I may even have enough faith to move mountains. But if I don't have love, I am nothing.
1Co 13:3  I may even give away all that I have and give up my body to be burned. But if I don't have love, none of these things will help me.
1Co 13:4  Love is patient. Love is kind. Love isn't jealous. It doesn't sing its own praises. It isn't arrogant.
1Co 13:5  It isn't rude. It doesn't think about itself. It isn't irritable. It doesn't keep track of wrongs.
1Co 13:6  It isn't happy when injustice is done, but it is happy with the truth.
1Co 13:7  Love never stops being patient, never stops believing, never stops hoping, never gives up.
1Co 13:8  Love never comes to an end. There is the gift of speaking what God has revealed, but it will no longer be used. There is the gift of speaking in other languages, but it will stop by itself. There is the gift of knowledge, but it will no longer be used.
1Co 13:9  Our knowledge is incomplete and our ability to speak what God has revealed is incomplete.
1Co 13:10  But when what is complete comes, then what is incomplete will no longer be used.
1Co 13:11  When I was a child, I spoke like a child, thought like a child, and reasoned like a child. When I became an adult, I no longer used childish ways.
1Co 13:12  Now we see a blurred image in a mirror. Then we will see very clearly. Now my knowledge is incomplete. Then I will have complete knowledge as God has complete knowledge of me.
1Co 13:13  So these three things remain: faith, hope, and love. But the best one of these is love. (GW)

Until next time, continue to be Blessed and love somebody every day.  

Pastor Morgan