As expected, December’s pace has kept me away from blogging!  I’ve not gotten to all that I wanted to write about peace, but I thought it would be perfect to use a verse from Luke 2 today to continue that conversation.

“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” ~Luke 2:13, 14

While this is a wonderful season of celebration, there’s often some hard things about Christmas.  I personally know many who are experiencing physical suffering right now.  Others have recently lost loved ones, and are still grieving.  Figuring out how to make money stretch to meet all the financial demands we feel can also make this a difficult time of year.  Yet peace is a big part of the Christmas story.

Let’s look at three ways that peace and Christmas go hand-in-hand.

Because of Christmas, we can have peace with God.

There is no way we could have a relationship with God without Jesus.  We are born sinners.  God is holy.  Our sin is a barrier between us and a righteous God.  Yet Jesus came as a babe in a manger.  He lived a perfect, sinless life.  Then He died a sacrificial death on the cross, taking all of our sin upon Himself.  Three days later, He rose from the dead, gaining victory over death for all who trust in Him.

When I accept Jesus as my Savior, His righteousness becomes mine.  All of my sin is forgiven, and I have full access to the God of heaven.  There is now peace between myself and God.  No better gift could be given than the one that was given that very first Christmas when God sent His Son!

Because of Christmas, we can have the peace of God.

Since Jesus came, we know about God’s love and mercy, His compassion and His grace.  He wants us to experience His peace.  I don’t know how those without Christ handle life’s struggles, but I’m so thankful that, through salvation, we can sense God’s peace no matter what our circumstances are.

As we talked about earlier this month, God can give us peace in our souls as we face trials in our lives.  God makes inner peace available to us as we learn to trust Him.  These thoughts have helped me over the last few weeks as I’ve prayed about a situation where I need peace.

Because of Christmas, man can have peace with others.

We’ll likely find ourselves coming into contact with some people over the holidays who aren’t exactly lovable!  I can’t love others – especially those who “get on my nerves” – on my own.  But remember, peace is a fruit of the Spirit.  While that applies to inner peace, I also believe that inner peace flows outward, and affects how we treat others.

In Romans 14:19, we’re told,

“Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.”

We choose how we respond to the cashier with a short temper, the fellow shopper who cuts in front of us, or the extended family member who dominates the conversation.  By our words and our actions, let’s choose to respond in a peace-making way.

This Christmas, may we be grateful for peace with God, rest in the peace of God, and show peace to those around us!

Related posts:
Are You Getting What You Want for Christmas?
‘Twas the Week Before Christmas
4 Ways You Can Live as a Philippians 2 Woman Today

Do you have a life verse?  I would say that I don’t.

Instead, I tend to have a key verse for a particular life season.  Right now, I would claim Proverbs 3:5,6 as the verses I cling to on a consistent basis.  Having two teenagers reminds you how much you need to wholly trust God to direct your (and their!) path.  I can’t lean on my own understanding.  As I continue to learn in my parenting journey, what I think is best for my kids may not always be what God has for them.

Whether or not you have a life verse, you likely have certain Bible verses you’ve memorized and continually refer back to.  I have a number of them!  I think it’s because they contain truths that are relevant to any situation we face.  One of mine has to do with peace.

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” ~Philippians 4:6-7

While we already talked about some ways we can have perfect peace, this verse reveals to me that prayer leads to peace.

I believe there’s a little more to it than just the physical act of saying a prayer about something we’re concerned over.  Making my request known to God is the easier part.  The hard part is choosing to leave it with Him.

Sharing my heart’s desire with God in prayer is all well and good.  But if I finish praying, then two minutes later I’m worrying and trying to work it all out in my own mind again, I’m not going to have peace.

Merriam-Webster defines peace as a quiet and calm state of mind.  That sounds desirable!!  I also love the word “tranquil” as a synonym for peace.  I think of a still blue lake, with the sun shining down on it, and not a ripple on its surface.  To go through my day with a mind that restful and serene would be a blessing!

As for “being careful for nothing,” or, in other words, turning all my concerns over to God, I believe that involves submission.  It’s me surrendering to however He chooses to answer my prayer.  What sweet communion I can have if I commit all of my cares to Him!

The peace we receive at that point will “keep our hearts and minds.”  Here the word “keep” has to do with watching over or guarding.  God’s peace can guard my heart – my emotions and feelings – as well as my mind or thoughts.  That inward peace guards me from fear, worry, doubt, depression, and so many other attacks against my heart and mind.  Our outward circumstances may be rough and stormy, but inwardly, we can have peace.

This peace is beyond our understanding.  If you’ve ever gone through a trial and had that kind of peace, you know that’s the best way to describe it.  There’s no explaining it to someone who hasn’t experienced it.

But, as with the verse we looked at last week, the ending here is key.  I can’t manufacture this peace.  It only comes through Jesus Christ.  As our Savior and Lord, He gives us the peace we need.

December 9th marked 20 years since what has (so far!) been our family’s most difficult trial, at least humanly speaking.  That was the day our first child was born and went to heaven, all within a matter of minutes.  I continue to praise God for the peace He gave us during those days.  I’m comforted to know that, no matter my trial, His peace is always available!

Related posts:
A Story of Goodness and Grace (more of Angel’s story)
5 Bible Verses to Encourage You in Your Prayer Life
Our Greatest Trial, a Blessing in Disguise

The month of December is a good time of year to talk about peace!  In spite of all my efforts to simplify Christmas, there’s still plenty of scrambling to get ready for events, pursuing just the right presents for everyone, and plain-ol’ stuff that has to be done.  Sometimes there’s little peace left in my heart at the end of the day – if I even had some to begin with!

Peace drains out of me pretty fast as I rush to bake a treat for the school party, pick up teacher gifts, and make yet another run to the grocery store for that key ingredient I forgot.  (And if you have it all together this season, please send my your secret!)

But what if I knew how to get – and keep – perfect peace?  A peace that lasts through the day and into the night, even when I’m wide awake at 4 A.M.  Thankfully, we have a verse with just the prescription we need.

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” ~Isaiah 26:3

I want that perfect peace.  Any time of year, distractions like fear, worry, and doubt want to draw my mind away from God.  Or it can be something as simple as my to-do list that steals my peace.  My mind races, and I think, “How am I going to get it all done?”

I have an answer – not necessarily to getting it all done, but to finding that peace in the middle of it.

Keep my mind stayed on God.  Give Him my fears, worries, and doubts, and simply trust.

But how do I stay my mind on God?  Here are five things to try.  None of them are new or groundbreaking, but just simple reminders of how we can grow in our faith.

Pray. 

I’m blaming this on getting old, but for a while now, I’ve been waking up at least a couple of times each night.  I’m trying to discipline myself so that when I’m lying there in bed awake, I start praying.  Obviously that’s not the only time I pray!  But if we try to fill the nooks and crannies of our day – while we’re driving, folding laundry, packing lunches – with prayer, our minds will be focused on God.

Meditate on Bible verses. 

Meditating on Scripture helps me apply a verse specifically to my life.  Just like prayer, it doesn’t often come naturally.  The best way I’ve found to meditate on a verse is to write it down, and then post it where I can see it throughout the day.

Play music that glorifies God.

These days we can listen to music anywhere and anytime.  Whether we’re at home or in our car, let’s have a good playlist of uplifting music that causes us to worship and praise God.

Listen to the preaching of God’s Word. 

Whether it’s in a church service, through an audio sermon, or via podcast, putting Scriptural truth into my ears will cause me to stay my mind on God.  Hearing the Bible clearly taught helps me realize areas in which I need to grow, and encourages me to continue walking with God.

Write down God’s promises.

Put pen to paper.  Focus on the promises of God that you find in His Word.  We know God is faithful to always follow through.  Remember Numbers 23:19?  “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?”

So what’s at the bottom of all this?  Learning to trust God.  Isn’t that how Isaiah 26:3 ends?  Ultimately, if I will keep my mind focused on God and trust Him, He will give me that perfect peace that I desire.

Related posts:
How to Have Peace in Your Home
Trusting His Grace When I Can’t See His Face
3 Ways to Build My Trust in God

Our visit with joy has been short this month!  But the Christmas season is naturally a good time to continue focusing on this fruit of the Spirit.

I thought it would be appropriate to end our series on joy with the following verse.

“But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.” ~Acts 20:24

What a powerful verse!  What better goal could we have as Christian women than to finish our course with joy?

We each have a different path through life.  That path takes different twists and turns as the years pass.  Right now, you could be a working single, a newlywed, or a mom with small children.  You might be an empty nester, a grandmother with young grandchildren, or some stage in between.  Whatever our path or “course” today, we can, with the Holy Spirit’s help, walk it joyfully.  We don’t know which day will be our last.

Yet assuming we live into our later years, how sweet it would be to move through our final days with joy in our hearts.  Does that necessarily mean that the “finish” of our course, the end of our lives, will be pleasant, humanly speaking?  It could be.  Or it could involve poor health, a long-term sickness, or a host of other unpleasant things we don’t want to think about!

As far as we know, Paul lived his last days as a prisoner.  Not the outwardly joy-producing ending one might wish for.  But he says that he didn’t “count his life dear.”  In other words, the only measure for the value of Paul’s life was in how he could use it to complete God’s will for him.  His ministry was to share the gospel, and to be a testimony to the grace of God.  Fulfilling that calling with a joyful spirit was Paul’s goal.

As we’ve discussed before, it’s not circumstances that should determine our joy.  Joy is the fruit of the Spirit that’s grown in our lives as we trust God, believe His Word, and serve Him.  So no matter how many years God gives us, I pray that at life’s close, we’ll be able “to testify the gospel of the grace of God.”  As we reach the end of our own path, may we be a testimony of God’s grace, and evidence that by the joy we know deep in our souls.

Thanks for looking at joy with me this month! Below I’ve listed all the posts in this series for quick reference. I hope you’ll join me next week as we begin talking about peace.

3 Ways to Find Joy
7 Truths About Finding Joy in God’s Word
Add Some Joy to Your Service

Tomorrow’s the day.

Thanksgiving 2017.

‘Tis the season for saying out loud what you’re thankful for, counting your blessings, and making a gratitude list.  (Though I hope we do that on a regular basis throughout the year!)

Sometimes it’s easy to feel thankful.  The list of blessings seems almost endless.

But there could be other years when it’s hard.  While we know deep down that we really do have so much to be thankful for, it’s hard to make the mental shift and focus on our blessings.  Adopting that attitude of gratitude just seems like an enormous task because of our current situation.

We have an unlikely candidate to help us today.  Let’s see what Habakkuk had to say when he thought about how difficult things might get in his life.

“Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.” ~Habakkuk 3:17-18

Wow.  Habakkuk basically had nothing going for him.  It sounds like not only is there nothing for today, but there’s little hope for the future.  Not only is there no fruit in the vines, there aren’t even blossoms on the fig tree.  The fields are bare and the stalls are empty.

Sometimes we’re in situations that feel like that.  Maybe money’s tight, a child keeps getting sick, a job situation is stressful, or there’s a spiritual temptation we just can’t seem to get victory over.  Maybe our attitude becomes “Woe is me.”  It’s easy to get discouraged, to feel like life is against us and we’re not prospering as we should.  It’s easy to get to that place, but let’s don’t stay there!

When everything was against Habakkuk, he didn’t lose his joy because he chose to focus on God.  He made the decision to “rejoice in the Lord.”  He knew that ultimately his salvation would come from God.

Is that our approach or not?  Do we only find joy in good health, material possessions, and blessings we can see, or do we actually joy in HIM?

Let’s follow Habakkuk’s lead.  Let’s rejoice in the Lord when times are good, and still rejoice in the Lord when times are bad.  Right now, my circumstances are good.  But sometime between now and next Thanksgiving, I can pretty much guarantee you I’ll have some struggles.  So will I rejoice in the Lord then?  I pray that I will.

What’s going on around us may not be good, but God always is.  My prayer for all of us is that we won’t live in the despair of difficult circumstances, but that we’ll choose to find our joy in God and rejoice in the Lord!

I had to share these two songs that fit so appropriately with the theme of this post.  [If you’re reading this in e-mail, you’ll need to click over to the site to view the videos.]

I’m so thankful for each one of you who read here, and trust that you’ll make many sweet memories with loved ones this season.  Most of all, may you rejoice in the goodness of God this Thanksgiving!

Related posts:
Thanksgiving Week Video and a Favorite Praise Passage
7 Steps to Becoming a Wise Woman:  Trust God
Who’s the Boss – Feelings or Truth?

When I taught first grade in a Christian school, one of the first stories in our reading book was about joy.  The theme of the story was that joy came from putting Jesus and others ahead of yourself.  In other words, J-O-Y stood for Jesus, Others, and You.

We often think that doing things for ourselves is going to bring us joy.  Maybe it’s finally taking that big family vacation or buying a newer car or even just a hot cup of coffee and an hour of silence in our own home!  But if we look at the truth taught in that elementary school reader, we begin to understand that joy doesn’t come from pleasing ourselves.  Sure, it may feel good in that moment – and it’s okay to have all those things I listed! – but that kind of joy doesn’t last.

So what happens when we put Jesus and others first?  We take our focus off of ourselves.  We find lasting joy as we follow what Jesus has called us to do, and look for ways to meet others’ needs.

In Deuteronomy 28, God is speaking to the children of Israel.  He tells them that chastisement will come if they fail to keep His commandments.  Part of the reason they’re going to be punished, according to verse 47, is “because thou servedst not the LORD thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things.”

This verse convicted me.  How often do I serve the Lord with joyfulness?  When I work in the church nursery or take a meal to a shut-in or sing in the choir, how’s my heart attitude?  Do I perform those tasks in His name?  Do I see them only as a duty and as something I dread?

What about at home, behind closed doors, where people can’t see me.  Am I doing laundry, washing dishes, packing school lunches with gladness in my heart?  All of these are forms of ministering to others.  We can choose to do them with joyfulness and gladness of heart, or begrudgingly and with a bad attitude.

This is a good place to insert Psalm 100:2.  “Serve the Lord with gladness…”  Let’s all admit that we’re not going to always (or maybe even often!) feel that gladness in our heart when we’re called to serve someone else.  So we remember the whole point of this series – that it’s the Holy Spirit that can give us that joy.

One way of cultivating that joy is to remember all that God has done for us.  Note that Deuteronomy 28:47 ends with the phrase “for the abundance of all things.”  Can’t every one of us say we’ve been abundantly blessed?

I’ve certainly been guilty of serving in my own strength, with my own agenda, or only because it’s expected of me.  But, with the Holy Spirit’s help, I can change that.  After all that God has done for me, I want to perform my service for Him with a joyful spirit and a glad heart.

There’s also an old hymn that talks about serving God with joy.  I thought I’d share the first verse and chorus of it here.

There is joy in serving Jesus
As I journey on my way
Joy that fills my heart with praises
Every hour and every day.

There is joy, joy, joy in serving Jesu
Joy that throbs within my heart
Every moment, every hour
As I draw upon His power
There is joy, joy, joy that never shall depart.
~Oswald J. Smith

Let’s add some joy to our service today!

Related posts:
Whom Can I Serve Today?
5 Ways to Serve Others as a Family
Finding Our Ministry Right Where We Are

Back when our girls attended a homeschool co-op, their Shakespeare class learned a section from one of his plays.  The teachers wanted to get outside of the classroom and actually record the kids performing a few scenes.  We parents brought our children to a local park, and they all scouted around to find the best locations for filming.  They wanted each act to have a particular feel to it, so they had to “set the stage” to make it look good on camera.

When we talk about the fruit of the Spirit – joy being the one we’re highlighting for November – we realize that the fruit is produced in us by the Holy Spirit.  Yet we can also take action to cultivate our joy.  We can “set the stage,” if you will, in our life to help us grow that joy.

On Tuesday, we talked about 3 ways to find joy.  Today I want to look at another way we can nurture joy in our lives.

“Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts.” ~Jeremiah 15:16

Focusing on the Word of God brings me joy.

One of the best chapters in the Bible on God’s Word is Psalm 119.  Let’s look at some key verses from that chapter.

Joy comes as I keep God’s commandments and fully seek Him.

Verse 2 ~ “Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.”

If I’m looking for God’s blessing in my life, I should obey commands I find in the Bible.  And once again, we see that it’s not a half-hearted effort that God is interested in, but a full-on pursuit of Him.

I rejoice as I recognize the incredible value of God’s Word.

Verse 14 ~ “I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.”  Also verse 127 ~ “Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold.”

The Scriptures we can hold in our hands are more valuable than any earthly possession we have or could obtain.

I should see the principles in God’s Word as delightful to follow, not as a list of rules that I must keep.

Verse 16 ~ “I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.“

Are we delighted when we find instruction in the Bible that God convicts our heart about?  Remembering what God’s told me to do in His Word, and then actually following through on that command, can bring joy to my heart.

Make decisions based on principles and truths found in God’s Word.

Verse 24 ~ “Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counselors.”

While I can’t give a Scripture reference that tells me what television shows or movies our family should watch, I can certainly find a Bible principle that lets me know what Christians should allow into their minds.  By prayerfully reading God’s Word, I can discover truths that lead me to make right decisions.

God’s Word brings me peace and comfort in difficult times.

Verse 50 ~ “This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.”

Here’s where I run to the Psalms!  So many verses there – as well as in other parts of the Bible – give us comfort.  It also brings life back into our soul when we’re feeling so weary.

God’s Word will always be true and beneficial for my life.

Verse 111 ~ “Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart.”

Praise God that His word never changes!  There’s no “latest information” or “updates” that are going to make His promises null and void.

Uncovering truth from God’s Word can bring me as much joy as discovering buried treasure.

Verse 162 ~ “ I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil.”

I’d love to approach my Bible reading this way each day – just looking for the treasure of truth that God wants to reveal to me.

I’m so thankful for the joy we find in God’s Word!  Making time to read it and meditate on it will “set the stage” for joy to flourish in every season of life.

Related posts:
Who’s the Boss – Feelings or Truth?
Praying and Praising with Scripture
God Will Prepare the Way

I’m wondering if there’s some sort of subliminal message I’m receiving.  I’d mentioned on the blog that I’d be posting about joy during November.  Well, on Sunday, my husband’s lesson in our Sunday School class focused on joy, as did our Pastor’s Sunday morning sermon.  I guess I’m in good company by addressing this topic!

So how do we describe joy?  It’s typically thought of as a feeling we experience, one of great happiness or pleasure.  It’s living in a place of delight and gladness.  I certainly want to feel that way, don’t you?

We all know that it’s easy to feel joyful when life is going along smoothly.  And we’ve likely also known someone who was going through a very difficult time, yet still had joy in their heart.

Joy is another fruit of the Holy Spirit.  Just like we talked about with love, we can’t just work up true joy on our own.  It is shown in our lives as we yield to the Holy Spirit and His work in our lives.

I thought we’d begin this study by looking at where we can find joy, based on one of my favorite verses on the topic.

“Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” ~Psalm 16:11

Here are three ways we can find joy.

1.  We find joy in trusting God.

When we’re trusting God to direct our lives, we have joy because we know that God is in control.  He will “shew [us] the path of life.”  You may be facing circumstances today that make you feel the opposite of joyful!  Yet we know that God is loving and good, so He will only allow what is ultimately best for us.

It’s often during the hard times that we see the Holy Spirit at work, as He gives us joy that defies our normal reactions.  It can be a testimony to fellow Christians as well as unbelievers when we have joy in the midst of our trials.

I love this definition of joy from Kay Warren:

“Joy is the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be alright, and the determined choice to praise God in every situation.”

2. We find joy in God’s presence.

We’ll know ultimate joy when we are with God in heaven.  But how can we be in His presence today?  Through prayer, and perhaps even more specifically, through focusing our prayers on praising and worshiping Jesus.  I’ve confessed this before, but too often, I run to God’s throne overburdened with requests, and never take time to concentrate on praising Him.

Spending time with God can only increase my joy.  I love that we can have not just joy in His presence, but fullness of joy!  That’s no small dose that barely gets me through the day, but a cup overflowing with joy, that even leaks onto others!

Psalm 43:4 says, “Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God.”

3.  We find joy in God’s provision.

The Psalmist says that at God’s right hand, there are pleasures forevermore.  In heaven, we’ll certainly experience all the beauty and blessings that He’s preparing for us now.  Yet I believe we get so many of those pleasures here on earth, too.

Yet what’s pleasing to me?  Is it always just a big vacation, good health, more possessions?  Or am I pleased when I see spiritual growth in the life of my child?  Do I find pleasure in the beauty of God’s creation?  When the pleasures I value line up with the pleasures He has in store, there’s a sweet spot of joy.

Just like we as parents enjoy blessing our children with good things, so I think God delights in pleasing us with His abundance.  Let’s not miss the joy and blessings – both big and small – every day!

Today let’s allow the Holy Spirit to produce joy in our lives as we trust God with our present and our future.  Let’s spend time with Him, and take note of all the pleasures He sends our way.

Related posts:
Joy-Stealers
6 Ways to Encourage Yourself in the Lord
What Does It Mean to Delight in the Lord?

Today we’re winding up our series on the first fruit of the Spirit, love.  (And can you even believe it’s almost the end of October?!!)

The Bible has a lot to say about love, and I certainly haven’t covered it all!  I did gather up several verses that we haven’t looked at this month to see what more we can learn about love.

1. God can help us grow in loving others.

“And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:” ~I Thessalonians 3:12

We’ve talked about several different aspects of love, from the kind of love we should have to ways we can love like Jesus.  Maybe you’re like me and think, “I don’t know if I can love God or other people like that.”

We can’t, in and of ourselves.  But God can grow that love in us, if we’ll let Him.  As we read the Bible, spend time in prayer, and meditate on spiritual truth, He can do a work in us that results in greater love.

2. True friends love each other through the ups and downs of life.

“A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” ~Proverbs 17:17

It’s easy to be there for our friends when things are going well, and it’s all about coffee chats and play dates with the kids.  But it gets harder when there’s the cancer diagnosis or when she’s dealing with a prodigal child.  Sometimes it’s difficult just because we don’t know what to say or do.

But those tough times are when she needs a friend the most.  Just show up to the relationship, whether that means a quick text or a phone call, a handwritten card in the mail or having pizza delivered to her house.

It’s also about giving her the benefit of the doubt if there’s a misunderstanding or miscommunication.  True friends can be hard to come by, so choose to love through those moments, too.

3. Loving others may mean denying ourselves.

“For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.” ~Galatians 5:13

Part of my Christian walk is considering what affect my actions have on others.  If something I do is going to lead a fellow Christian into an area she struggles with – even if I’m okay with it – I should love her enough to not do it.  Love includes living in a way that benefits and supports others.  That’s more important than being concerned about myself and what I want to do.

4. Our love is so much more than the words that we say.

“My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.” ~1 John 3:18

It’s good to say “I love you.”  But if all I ever do is say it, and never show it, the words are empty.

Last weekend my husband showed me he loved me in three specific ways.  What were they?  He took a box up to the attic for storage, changed a light bulb in the recessed lighting in our kitchen ceiling, and tightened the toilet paper holder in the girls’ bathroom.

That’s not the stuff you’ll read about in a romantic novel, but it spoke his love to me.  (And yes, he uses words, too!)

5. God’s love for me, and my love for Him, is the foundation for my spiritual growth.

“That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.” ~Ephesians 3:17-19

I know God loves me and wants what’s best for me.  Living in that truth allows me to trust Him when a trial comes into my life.  I don’t have to be afraid or worried, because I trust His love for me.

I don’t think I’ll ever fully comprehend God’s great love for me here on earth.  The verse does say that His love “passeth knowledge.”  But the more I can grasp it, the more I can rest in it and grow in my faith.

Thanks for joining me as we dissected passages about love this month!  Below I’ve listed all the posts in this series for quick reference.  I hope you’ll join me in November as we look at joy!

Do I Have This Kind of Love?
Our Greatest Example of Love
Loving God:  It Tops the List, and Takes Your All
It’s Simple, But Not Easy
4 Ways We Can Love Like Jesus
It’s Hard to Love Like This
3 Steps to Loving Jesus Much

Back in my teaching days, a favorite activity was reading aloud to my students.

Right after recess, we’d have quiet time in the classroom.  The kids would rest their heads on their desks or just sit quietly in their seats, and I’d read a section from a chapter book.  I loved seeing them get drawn into the story.  Then at an exciting part, I’d stop reading and tell them we’d pick up the story tomorrow.  Of course they’d want to hear more right then!  However, we’d all look forward to finding out what happened the next day.

A good story draws the listeners in – and excellent stories teach us lessons and change our thinking.  Jesus was the master storyteller, and told the best, most pointed stories.  Let’s look at this parable from Luke 7:40-47.

“And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.

There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.  And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?

Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.

And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.  Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.  My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.

Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.”

Let’s unfold this story about love.

In the parable, the creditor represents Jesus.  The one who owed fifty pence would be Simon (a Pharisee), and the one who owed five hundred pence is the woman.  The debt they owed represents their sin.

We read that both were forgiven their total debt, though the amounts owed were vastly different.  The last verse says that the woman was forgiven of her many sins, and, consequently, she “loved much.”

Do you want to love Jesus like this woman did?  I do.  Let’s see what we can learn from her.

Have a right view of God and a right view of our sin.

Both debtors start in the same place.  Neither one can pay their bill.  In the same way, both Simon and the woman have no power in themselves to get their sins forgiven.  And you and I are in that exact same boat.  We have no righteousness of our own.

To grow our love for God, we must see ourselves as we are and God as He is.  This woman knew the true extent of her sin.  She recognized that there was no way she was “good enough” for God to love.  She was totally humble.

If I’m honest with myself, I fear that I might be on the Simon side of this story at times.  I was saved at a young age, and someone looking at me from the outside would likely say I wasn’t much of a sinner at the ripe old age of four.  But I know my personal struggles, and the many times I fail to obey God.  Pride and selfishness are not strangers to me.  While I may look good on the outside, I know how many sins I harbor on the inside that need to be forgiven.

On the other hand, maybe you have a different past, and know exactly how this woman felt.  It’s how we should all see ourselves.  Romans 3:23 say, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”  We only imagine that we have little to be forgiven.  We must fully recognize the degradation of sin and what it cost to pay for it.

So I can’t love God to my fullest extent until I have the right view of myself and the right view of God.  Humility is where it’s at.

Focus on Jesus.

This woman’s focus was totally on Jesus.  She didn’t care who else was in the house or what was being served for dinner.  All she cared about was ministering to Jesus, and showing Him how much she loved Him.

Undoubtedly Simon had his thoughts on other things.  Maybe he was wondering when the meal would be ready, or why a certain guest hadn’t arrived, or did everyone have enough to drink?  (Does this remind you of another New Testament story – Martha and Mary?)  Regardless, Jesus notes how Simon didn’t extend the normal courtesies when Jesus arrived at his house.

Worship through service.

How did this much-forgiven woman show that she loved Jesus?  By her actions.

We talked earlier in this series about following God’s commandments in order to show that we love Him.  Yet not one of the things she did – washing and wiping His feet, kissing them, and anointing them – were direct commands.  Instead, they were acts of service that she wanted to do from a heart that overflowed with love.  Her outward actions were the manifestation of a heart that loved greatly.

It all boils down to this.

“Those who are most conscious of forgiveness will be most fruitful of love.” ~MacLaren

As we go through our day, let’s remember the great forgiveness of God, and look for ways to worship and serve Him.

Related posts:
Loving God:  It Tops the List and Takes Your All
4 Ways You Can Live as a Philippians 2 Christian Woman Today
What Esther Teaches Me About Courage