WATCHWORD:
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 1 John 4:7-8
3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. Romans 5:3-5
Meditation:
Milestones
Today, Monday, May 6, is our anniversary. The number assigned is not as important as the meaning for which the anniversary is significant, for both of us. We all have anniversaries. I recently had a significant birthday, a big one, where I was surrounded by the love of family. It was wonderful and it was fun. From my vantage point, it was spontaneous, but ask my daughter who planned the whole thing, she would only smile.
We are confronted by milestones in our lives, some we call anniversaries, some are called graduations, some may date the loss of a loved one. Each time we acknowledge that important date we call to mind the powerful influences that made that time or that event significant.
Love often plays an important role in making an event or date significant enough to acknowledge and celebrate, to remember. Love is not premeditated; in its purest form it is spontaneous; it leaves an indelible mark on us in extraordinary ways.
We don’t deliberately consider the role of God when we conclude that this date, this anniversary, is God blessed, but the fact is, love in a relationship can only flow from one source. It would be absurd for us to think that the love of God is naturally in our hearts because of our own merit. The love of God is there only because it has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit as Paul reminds us in Romans 5.
If I were to try to prove to God how much I love Him, that would be a sure sign that I really don’t love Him. The evidence of our love for Him is the spontaneity of love, which flows naturally from His nature within us.
Think about that. When we look back at the track that of these significant dates, the anniversaries, the milestones, the birth dates, we would not be able to determine why we did certain things, but we can know that we did them according to the spontaneous nature of God’s love within us.
The entrance of a new-born into the life of a family shapes the whole world of that family. They can plan for some predictable times and events, but, ah, the surprises that come along, unexpected and, maybe, ill-prepared. It is like the love of God and how it is exhibited in a spontaneous and inclusive way within us simply because the fountains of His love are in the Holy Spirit, a gift from God.
Happy Anniversary. Just another year? Really? Not so. Each year is God Blessed. So, each year is precious and deserves to be honored. She and I honor this date because it represents something special together…a milestone. So be it.
Closing Prayer:
Lord God, You alone are worthy of the love my heart and soul is capable of. My love for You has made it possible to love my neighbor as well. I have forgiven those who have sinned against me as I seek forgiveness for the sins I have done, Lord. Let my life be filled with love and truth, help me to reach out to the needy and helpless. Help me to feel love and compassion for them. Help me to be fair to people, help me to love others for Your sake. Help me to be ready to receive others love as I also receive love from You. In Jesus name. Amen.
