law of love

I am looking at my Hannah Hurnard calendar. I love the snipets from the collection. January 15 is from Mountains of Spices-"Remember, the Kingdom of Heaven is everywhere the law of love is practiced and perfectly obeyed and where I, who am the King of Love, reign."

What a beautiful name for Jesus, King of Love. The love He represents is not measured in human terms. It is love that can't be earned or lost. It is a love that is not conditional or emotional.

I thought about how often I say, "I love this". It is far too often. I need to think before I speak that "love talk".

When I think about living out the law of love, it overwhelms me. I know that where there is much love, there is also much forgiveness.

I am one who has been in need of much forgiveness. I wish I had a quarter for everytime I've said I'm sorry. I'd be a rich girl! It's never easy to ask for forgiveness.

Proverbs 3:3 says let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.

you have not because you ask not

I want to make myself available to help out someone when they need me. I want to be a great team member. I want to be faithful to my calling. But I've been overwhelmed with my to do list in the past week.

This morning when I was getting dressed, I was talking with the Lord about all of it. I don't think I was complaining, just asking for some help getting it all done.

I opened my bible and found a slip of paper with 2 Corinthians 9:10-11 on it, so I looked at it.
"Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God."

Not 10 minutes later, I got a text from someone I had scheduled to give a ride to work that morning. She had someone else to take her! Later on, an appointment got postponed! Then, it started to snow, and my evening meeting was cancelled!

I got the most important items completed on my list today! I know that I will rest much sounder tonight, which in turn enables me to be much more generous tomorrow!

Thanks so much, God, for caring about my to do list!

past, present, future

Have you ever spent time with someone who continually reverts back to past experiences as if they are a reality for today? It gets very frustrating when you are a person who deals with the present and has vision for the future. I asked God to show me how to convey to a friend His thoughts on this.

If the past is more vivid than the vision of the present, you'll miss your vibrant future.

If we keep on reliving the past, we rob ourselves of the joy of today. There are many emotions that keep us tied to the past. Regret is a big one. Perhaps we didn't handle things like we should have. Maybe we mistreated those in our life. There are always things we wish we could go back and change, but can't. Regrets are so powerful, but one thing is for sure. If we are stuck in a pool of regret, we are caught in rebellion. God wants us leave what is behind and look toward Him today.

Today is a gift. That's why it is called the present. We get the chance to live our lives the way that God asks us to. We get to help the person in need. We get to sing a new song. We get to live with all our being. We get to love God with all our heart, mind, and strength. We get to love those around us and we don't have to wait!

The future hasn't even been written yet! When we are consumed with past events, we can't see to what may be. The only thing we see is what the present isn't.

If you are holding on to an injustice that had been done to you or someone you loved in the past, let it go, forgive and live in the day you have been given today. Let go of the past and look forward with expectancy to the future!