Deuteronomy 6:6-7, "Love GOD, your God, with your whole heart: love him with all that's in you, love him with all you've got! Write these commandments that I've given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. Talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night."
Or it could be love in general that's the subject, because this morning my devotions included Ephesians 5, where we are told to:
Ephesians 5:1-2, "Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love is like that."
Either way, we are to learn God's ways. Take them to heart. Own them. Live them. Teach them.
And we are to thank him. Ephesians 5:4 also reveals that "Thanksgiving is our dialect."
In learning the language of love, I count blessings....
181. A husband, who has never been a pet-person, softened and witnessed petting the remaining pooch, talking to him, and willingly taking walks with him.
182. The graceful dance of snowflakes falling past the window.
183. The miracle of managing to have enough when all evidence says it wasn't possible.
184. The stirring together of corn and butter and mayonaise and cheese and diced tomatoes and muffin mix to make a hearty dish for a covered-dish dinner on a cold snowy night.
185. The clickety-clack of computer keys tossing words to the world with ease.
186. Those who will pray for you in earnest when you need them most.
187. The smell of wood smoke from warming fires within.
188. Small faces, tipped up in eager anticipation on a Monday morning for all the week will hold.
189. Being able to discuss politics with "friends" on Facebook and still being "friends" afterward.
190. Whole wheat crackers crushed into steaming vegetable soup.
7 comments:
You're so wonderfully grateful with all that's going on in your life and I really admire that. You reach out to others despite political/spiritual stances and embrace all which to me is truly "Christian." Thank you Stacy
Thank you, Wendy, you're too kind. I am just striving to practice the most important thing...love. :)
That is how God works and I love it! Great passages.
And Jesus Calling said to make friends with our problems! I don't know that I can make the leap to loving them but I can certainly try to embrace what God is doing in and through them! As for the first verse you shared ... I try to make that one the theme for my life (especially in the morning) and Philippians 4:6-8 the theme for my thoughts and speech. :) Love you! And I love your grateful heart!
Thanks for sharing the great passages that speak such ripe, juicy truth to our hearts! Love the post and your list, Stacy!
Those are indeed blessings.
Debby...I know! I love it when God makes it really obvious to me. I can be so dense some times. ;)
Beth...Oh, how I understand your struggle. Loving some people is definitely a trial right now, but I am praying for them daily and speaking only good. Hopefully, my heart will one day soon follow my mouth and actions. And thank you, love you, too.
Messy Marriage...Thank you for visiting and the nice comment. I hope it had something for you today.
Rochelle...I think so. :)
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