My chair time this morning led me to this "reflection" upon the "Love" test found in 1 Corinthians 13.
The following was written by a 30 year veteran missionary woman serving in Khartoum, Sudan.
I have revised it just a bit for my personal evaluation.
My daughter texed me last night to tell me that she had scored an 89 on a mid-term yesterday.
I think she did far better on her test that I did mine.
If I have the language ever so perfectly and speak like a pundit, and have not the love that grips the heart,
I am nothing.
If I have decorations and diplomas and am proficient in up to date methods and marketing,
and have not the touch of understanding love,
I am nothing.
If I am able to worst my opponents in an argument so as to make fools of them, and have not the wooing note,
I am nothing.
If I have all faith and great ideas and magnificent plans and wonderful visions, and have not the love that sweats and bleeds and weeps and prays and pleads the cause of the lost and broken,
I am nothing.
If I surrender all personal pleasures, set out from my home, my friends, my comforts, and give myself to the showy sacrifice of a life in ministry, and turn sour and selfish amid the daily annoyances and personal slights of a ministry life, and though I give myself to be consumed by all that I perceive to be the "Call of God" on my life, and have not the love that yields its rights, it's coveted leisure, its pet plans, its need for approval and praise,
I am nothing, nothing.
If I can heal all manner of sickness and heartache of those in my service, but wound hearts and hurt feelings for want of love that is kind,
I am nothing.
If I write books (or blogs) and publish articles and make grand speeches that set the world agape and fail to transcribe the Word of the Cross in my Daily Language of LOVE,
I am nothing.
I may be competent, busy, fussy, punctilious and full equipped,
but,
like the church of Laodicea, nauseating to Christ.
Thank you Lord, that your mercy is new for me today.
Help me to love better.
John 17:26
10 Comments:
Wise words for me this morning..thank you!
Blessings!
Teresa
Dearest friend, I just got off the phone with you (enjoyed our 'brainstorm' session!) and came here to see how God confirmed His Word to both of us on LOVE. It's an awesome "heads up" when He does that! For some time now He has been dealing with me on my 'love walk' and how love 'grows cold'. Because of what's going on in our world today (bank failures & elections in particular) I've been so aggravated with my fellow man :) Matt. 24:12 spoke to me on just that "And the love of the great body of people will grow cold because of the multiplied lawlessness and iniquity”(AMP) AND in The Message… "In the confusion, lying preachers will come forward and deceive a lot of people. For many others, the overwhelming spread of evil will do them in—nothing left of their love but a mound of ashes.” I don’t want to be a mound of ashes or nauseating to Christ! Thanks for your timely reflection that has gently convicted my heart. And by the way, I love you! (thought I’d start my re-commitment to love with an easy one! Haha!) Linda
"If I write books (or blogs) and publish articles and make grand speeches that set the world agape and fail to transcribe the Word of the Cross in my Daily Language of LOVE, I am nothing."
This surely speaks to this lover o' the blog and all-things-written this day.
Amen and Amen.
Love you,
Melinda
Pat, this very much resembles the chapter we just finished in our online study. It is about Ms. Spirituality. Ms. Spirituality is about performance and God wants us to be about a relationship with Him and is concerned with the condition of our heart not the performance of our life.
Come see and comment.
Paula
This has been the song in my heart for the past few weeks, I sang it as a teenager, loved these verses and yet it's here and now that it resonates in my deepest parts in such a humbling way.
thank you!
tammy
Pat,
As I read those words from Corinthians I thought, "This would be a perfect piece to share with 'my group' as we meet for our last session next week. As I read through this devotion I saw the face of each woman that has made the climb through this journey with me. I love each one and pray I have spoken love over anything else. Greater than that, however, I realize that nothing is mandated of us in scripture that Jesus has not modeled Himself. Over and over through the weeks of the Surrendering the Secret study, God has showered us with His love and has been so utterly sweet to us. He has met each woman individually and given His freedom, love, redemption in specific ways to remind each of us that He is El Roi, 'the God who sees me.' It is overwhelmingly precious to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.(Eph.3:18
Pray for our group as we end our study next week with an actual MOUNTAIN CLIMB over a beautiful setting!!! If you're ever in Texas, I'll show you the spot!
Blessings and love,
Tricia
Sweet Sisters,
Thank you for your visit this week. I plan to stop by your blogs later this weekend!
Teresa...Wise words in the morning are especially good and hopefully fuel for a better day!!
Linda..Welcome to Sweet Tea, Sweet Friend!
Melinda, YOU are an example of 1 Corinthians 13~~
Paula---I will get there sooner or later :)!!!
Tammy---I can't wait to hear!
Tricia,
My heart actually pounds as I read this. You are REQUIRED to connect with me the minute you can. I feel as if I am going with you and I truly wish that I was.
Deep love and much prayer!!
Pat
Tricia...ps...don't forget that I will be in Texas in a few weeks!
p
hey pat:
saw your message to me and I do not know what has happened but I do not have your phone numbers on my phone!!! So I have tried to contact you but unless you reasd this and call me I will call you Monday at the office :-) for I am REQUIRED to contact you ASAP and am happy to do so!!!
:-),
Tricia Heflin tjhef@aol.com
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