There's all kind of love too. I saw the most adorable commercial of a little girl painting her dog's nails blue. She must have been five years old, and her dog was a huge Great Dane who took it all in stride--even when she put a bonnet on him as a finishing touch--"because of love..."
And then there's the love we have for friends, parents, children, spouses...
And all that love compels us to do stuff. Last night, shortly before midnight and because I tend to be impatient and not like surprises, I declared to an almost-asleep Jorge that we were celebrating Valentine's Day, "Right now!"
I loved my gift, and he really loved his. This past Christmas I gave my nephews remote controlled helicopters. Jorge loved them so much that when one of my nephews recently spent the weekend with me, Jorge hogged ALL the playing time from him to the point to where little Alejandro cried. Yes! Real tears. "Tio, he wailed, let me have a turn!" Tio did not give up the copter.
So I got him one to celebrate Valentine's. Even at that late hour Jorge was all excited. He unwrapped it and promptly put it to charge.
All that brings us to point number three from yesterday.
"When we live in love we live in God and God lives in us."
What if for the rest of the year I did not do another nice thing for Jorge? What if I didn't tell him that I loved him until next Valentine's? What if I withheld my affection, my companionship, my compassion, my forgiveness, my body...? God takes up residence in us when we dwell, abide, and pitch a tent in love. What exactly does that mean? To dwell in love means that by faith you are constantly aware of God's love, as is evident by His giving us His son, and therefore you live to love God and others through actions.
That was a mouthful!
Loving Jorge is relatively easy, and Jorge assures me, that even though there is a video of me last night greedily opening my gift and screaming out that I will never share, that loving me is easy (most of the time). Guess what, people? I will get little credit for that. But loving someone unlovable? That's a different story. Tune in tomorrow.
PRAYER:
Dear Lord, It is a good thing that there are those we find easy to love. If all love were difficult, then life would be unbearable. Pour Your wisdom into us as we continue to learn about Your love. We pray this passage from Ephesians 3 today over ourselves and those we love and those we should love:
Out of Your glorious riches, strengthen us with power through Your spirit in our inner being so that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith. And being rooted and established in love, may we have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and wide and deep is the love of Christ because to know this love surpasses knowledge and it will fill us to the measure of all the fullness of God.In Jesus name, AMEN~
(If you are currently praying for someone to have a heart transplant, this prayer is a beautiful addition. If you are praying for someone who is struggling in their emotions or mental health, this prayer will soothe their soul. If you are praying for someone who needs to understand God's love so they can turn around and love others, this prayer is the perfect kickstart).
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