The Month of Love

If you’ve been keeping up with life and have flipped the page of the calendar recently, then you already know that the month of February is well under way. In fact, according to my calculations, we are less than 6 days from the day set aside to celebrate LOVE.

Now, I know that a lot of men (and possibly some women too) see this day as an artificial or bogus day; when florist, candy makers and jewelers try to stick their hands into our pockets and pull out something other than lint….and maybe, that’s a good thing. Perhaps too many of us fellows need a swift kick in the seat of our pants to let go of a few coins and buy our “sweetheart” a token of our affection. As for me, I am doubly blessed; first with Valentine’s Day and then, ten days later, I get to celebrate my anniversary with my lovely bride of 21 years.

But maybe this V-Day, we should turn our hearts and our eyes more toward heaven as we thank God for His love and sacrifice. It would do each of us good to heed the words of the apostle John, writing in Revelation, regarding our first love; he writes, “I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.” Revelation 2:2-5

John, in writing to the church at Ephesus, tells them that he greatly admires all the hard work they have been doing in growing the church, fighting against false teachers and dissenters within the body and with their perseverance over hardships…they have not grown weary; however, in all the work, toil, strain and strife, they have become distant with each other….and even more concerning, distant with their Heavenly Father. He offers them a simple, quick and seemingly easy solution….GO BACK TO DOING WHAT THEY DID WHEN THEY FIRST INVITED CHRIST INTO THEIR HEARTS….

RETURN TO THEIR FIRST LOVE….JESUS!!!!!!!

It really is that simple….getting back to the basics of loving Jesus…..returning to a heart that is filled with love and overflowing with His goodness and mercy…seeking to spend time in His presence and longing to hear Him speak to our hearts….guarding our thoughts, our time and our talents so that we might present them to Him as a gift of love and adoration.

Want to serve Him more….Just Love Jesus!
Want to work for His kingdom and bring others to the Master…Just Love Jesus!
Want to persevere and overcome obstacles….Just Love Jesus!
Want to walk in closer communion with the Father….Just Love Jesus!

Whatever you want to do, give, be …wherever you want to go, serve or lead….you MUST get back to the start of it all…your love relationship with the Savior.

So in this month that is dedicated to the celebration of love, let your focus return to the cross….where God SO LOVED the world that HE GAVE….and you do likewise….

Give your heart…give your mind…give your body and soul to the one that is ETERNAL and to a love that is EVERLASTING…give your love to Jesus….He’s already given His all for you…..and by all means, don’t forget your Sweetie….


Loving Him Because He FIRST Loved Me,

WPQ


Thought for the Day:

More love for Thee, O Lord,
This is my earnest prayer
Draw me closer in my walk with you
And always keep me there!

Let your love fall on me, Lord
As I journey along life’s way;
May you be my one true love
Every moment of every day.

WPQ
February 2011