Fail Proof Love

Love never fails.
1 Corinthians 13:8

A dear friend, worried that she had offended me, sent me a short email stating that she was concerned as such. Wanting to assure her, I immediately typed a quick response, “Love takes no offense!” I meant it, too. I had no offense with her, but… just as I finished typing the exclamation point I felt that gentle tug in my heart. “Tara, you took offense when Greg raised his eyebrow at you just five minutes earlier!” “UGH!” The LORD caught me! I did take offense when my husband raised his eyebrow at me. This little incident caused a mental check to take place in my spirit. If I truly believe that love does not take offense then have I really loved? I will be honest with you. If someone will offend me, it will be my husband Greg. The very one I have committed my life to love, honor and obey is the very one that can cause me to move over the edge of offense. It is with him that I find this test of love most challenging. It isn’t with the stranger or even friend. It is with the one I interact the most intimately. When Jesus said, “Love your neighbor as yourself…” in my case I know He meant my spouse.

Love is an amazing thing. Love is patient. Love is kind. It is not jealous or rude. It keeps no record of wrong. Wait… I do that, too! God help me to love! Imagine what might happen if we chose to keep no record of wrongs and take no offense. What if we chose to not be… jealous, rude, self-seeking or proud? What if we chose just for today to protect, trust, hope, and persevere? This love is fail proof!

Which action of love is hardest for you?

Father, I choose to love! Help me to love as You love with a love that never fails. In Jesus’ Name, AMEN!

"Love Covereth"
Proverbs 10:12

As the lightning streaked and the thunder roared, I pulled my cover up closer to my chin enjoying the warmth of covering. I rested knowing that I am covered by my blanket, my roof and my LORD. I felt peace despite the storm raging outside. I arose to read my devotional and the prayer verse for the day said, “Love Covereth!” What a great morning for the reminder love covers a multitude of sins and all wrongs. What makes covering so wonderful? The warmth it provides ensures the desire to snuggle in closer. The protection it conveys provides the peace needed to rest. The sense of security assures the weary all is okay. I am reminded of a quilt and the painstaking details given to each stitch to ensure a lifetime of memories. As one rests under such a covering stitched in love you are reminded of the act that provided the sweet covering. This warms the soul. The first time the love cover came from the Father’s own hand. He slowly sewed Adam and Eve’s clothes from the first sin sacrifice. Their covering provided a reminder that their sin brought about a sacrifice. Yes, love covers a multitude of sins. In John 13:35 we are told that others will know we are the LORD’s disciples by our love. Why? Love covers! Practically, I am reminded of an offense that grieved my heart. What does the LORD require of me? He asks me to pull up the heavenly quilt known as the “love cover.” His love cover in me brings the warmth needed to ensure rest for the soul, protection needed to bring peace in turmoil, sense of security for the weary, and forgiveness for sins. Love covers! Pull it up and rest!

Tara 5/13/09

This morning as I sat through the worship service in church my heart and mind saw Jesus in Guatemala. Scenes from our mission trip rolled as a movie scene across my mind. One day Molly said that the music playing in the background made her feel like she was in a movie scene. In my mind I replayed the movie on my personal DVR. This reminded me of the verse in Malachi 3:16 that says, "Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another , and the LORD listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the LORD and who meditate on His name."

I read this verse in the airport in Guatemala as we waited for our plane to leave. We spent nine days together talking of the LORD, praising the LORD, serving the LORD, and submitting to one another for the LORD's sake. He watched us and listened. He heard all we said and did. He will not forget. He has written His own book of remembrance because we meditated on Him. What a sweet God we have!

As we communicate and gather we remember. Remembrance is so valuable. It is crucial. We must not forget! In the days and weeks to come, we need to remember the GLORY of the LORD and how we met Him in Guatemala.

I read this verse yesterday morning and thought this is Chris, Donna, and Dick. "A bruised reed He will not break and smoking flax He will not quench..."Matthew 12:20 The Father allowed us to learn how to love through acts of service in such a way that Jesus was the center.

Father, we ask YOU now to reveal to us how we can go and serve in love sacrificially and through prayer. Encourage us to motivate one another in love and acts of service that demonstrate that YOU first loved us. We saw this in Chris, Donna, Benny, Cindy, Saul, Hannah, and Dick. We can only pray that others will see this in us here as well.

Help us to never forget. As YOU read YOUR scroll of remembrance help us to read ours too! Let us be Jesus in such a way that when we see someone with smoldering hope that we seek to ignite them in the fullness of Your All Consuming fire! In Jesus' Name, AMEN!

I love you all so much! Thank YOU Father such a rich experience!

Upon returning from a family trip I walked into our family room to find Mikayla wrapped up in an old yellow quilt my Dad & Step Mom Kay gave us to protect Mikayla’s guitar while we drove home across several states. The look on Mikayla’s face said it all. Her eyes were closed tight shutting off tears beckoning to cascade down her face while her hands squeezed the edges of the quilt around her body tightly enclosing her in a blanket of remembrance.
“Honey, are you wrapped up in that old blanket because it reminds you of Grandma and Grandpa?”
“Mmhm!”
“Let me tell you a little more about this quilt. When I was a little girl and I visited Grandpa and Grandma. This was Aunt Nikki’s quilt. I have a great memories stored under this yellow and orange floral print quilt! Aunt Nikki and I used to talk and giggle all night or at least until Grandpa and Grandma would yell out, ‘GIRLS GO TO SLEEP!”
Mikayla and I sat for a moment basking in the gift of memory. Our capacity to remember is a gift. Anyone who has a loved one with Alzheimer’s will agree wholeheartedly with this truth. Remembrance plays a very important role in our walk with Christ. I have been reflecting upon the importance that I must weave a quilt threaded with the cord of remembrance in my life so that my worship may be complete.
What about you? How has remembering loved ones comforted you? How has remembering spiritual stepping stones strengthened you? Have you found remembering to be a gift to wrap up in like a warm quilt?
Excerpt: Embracing His Vision, Week 11