Love Protects~

All this week we have been looking at love in action. It requires us to dig deep and make difficult decisions. Which begs the question--How hard is too hard?


Let's put our difficulties in perspective for a moment. I never ever want to minimize the load you are carrying, or the depth of your struggle or heartache, but it is my hope that when we all stop and consider--really consider--what Jesus did for us that somehow it will encourage us to move forward step by faith-filled step. If He can do it, and if He says that His strength is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9), then we can do it too, and we need to take Him up on His offer to help us.

As you contemplate today who it is that you need to never give up on, put your needs on hold for, and burn to ashes the laundry list of stuff they have done to you, always keep in mind that God will never give up on you, He put your need for eternal salvation ahead of the life of His only boy, and according to Hebrews 8:12 "The slate of our sins is forever wiped clean."

God clearly understands what He has called us to do because He has already done it. And, on top of it all, He helps us. We have zero excuses. There's also one final entry on our playbook about what love is and does.

Love protects.

For my buddy that meant, primarily, her husband's reputation. She allowed no one--not her mom or dad or friends or co-workers or smelly kids to utter one disparaging remark about her man. Interestingly enough, before she got all biblical with her love, she was the first to talk trash, and it backfired. Some of those closest to her thought it was ok to say that he was a jerk, and reminded her of it every chance they got. But they overlooked one very miraculous thing. During the process of loving her man, God did something AMAZING. He restored to her broken heart a new and fierce love like she had never experienced before. "Yenise, is there something wrong with me? I love him more than ever before." We laughed ourselves silly, but I will never forget those words.

Nevertheless, it was insulting to her that people were pointing fingers and insulting her husband. At one point that meant asking him for forgiveness for all the mean things she had said that had somehow emboldened others to do the same. Some of us bristle when we think of the hell he must have put her through and yet she asked him for forgiveness? Yes, oh yes!

We have finally arrived at the answer to our question. Is it worth it? Is not giving up, putting others first, forgetting the wrongs, and protecting the ones we love worth it? One very happily married couple still going strong who regularly remind me that they are on one perpetual honeymoon would answer without hesitation--YES! Amen:)


PRAYER:
Dear Lord, Win-win is always the perfect way to describe our relationship with You. You have taught us how to love, but You know we can't do it without Your help, so You open wide the gates of heaven and give us everything we need to do it. And then You bless us in amazing ways. Glory Hallelujah! In Jesus name, AMEN~