Wouldn’t you agree that the most common theme at this sacred time of year is love. Love in all its forms, settings, worship, family. Love. A gift, a grace, a blessing, a joy.
We love our husband or wife, or that special person in our life. We love our children, and our grandchildren, and our great-grandchildren, and all our family, extended beyond blood. We love our animals, sunsets, oceans, reunions, lakes, mountains, and dreams. I love to write, to read, to travel, to love. You, too, have loves of your own. We are created to love, you and me.
I had a dog named Mandy, just a mixed breed, mostly black lab. She was very loyal. I loved her and she loved me. She would follow me on walks and listen to my prayers or my laments, and she would comfort me. Nearly 40 years ago, she was injured beyond repair and I had to make the sad decision to let her go, peacefully. The love we shared is still here, right in the center of my being. How do I know? The tears of remembrance tell me so.
That is true for all those we have loved, who are no longer with us. We remember, and in the center of our being there is an ache, a void shaped by that love. That is the nature of love. Once it is truly there, it never goes away, it never dies.
God has given us an enormous capacity to love. We add to it, but none of it diminishes. The love that God has given us is like loving arms that embrace and hold as dear, then reaches out for more, more love. Unquenchable. When this physical life ends for someone close to us, love that we hold for that person remains.
Our faith tells us that we never die, these bodies waste away and leave us, but the spirit remains. And so, the love for a person becomes part of who we are and never diminishes. When we add another love to our lives our love capacity simply grows and enriches.
Christmas. Another new year on the horizon. What will it bring? God knows and guess what? God is in charge, God loves us and God is love. Maybe that is all we really need to know.
Peace, to you and to all those you love. May God bless your Christmas and the coming new year.
Stan Escott, December/2018
thanks, Stan!
Elain, are you still out there, my friend? I was in a tutorial with my web site and found all kinds of nice comments made by you and a gizzillion others. So sorry. Well, I am still writing. My first book came out last month, A Life for Barabbas, and my second will be coming out mid-summer next year. I am writing daily devotionals and if you are interested I would point you to bosworth30.com, my site, you can see what I have written since the start of the pandemic. Hope this finds you will and safe. Stan Escott