Today we start the book of Ephesians which has some of my favorite verses... I love this passage from today's reading:
"According as He hath chosen us in Him, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame, before Him in love." (Eph. 1:4)
To think that He chose us before the foundation of the world. Before the foundation of the world He knew we would fall, and yet He still chose us and loved us, and pledged to give His life for us. As a result, we are to be holy and without blame, before Him in love...
What does it mean when you are IN LOVE? I know what it means for me... (at least in a small way!). It means I want to be around that person as much as possible. We don't have to always talk, but just to be together, in the same room, in each other's presence is so comforting. It means I love the sound of their voice. It means that I love talking and learning what means the most in the depth of their hearts. It means I share my heart with them as well. When I am "in love," it means someone has captured my heart and my thoughts. As a result, I'm often thinking about that person as soon as I wake up and often my last thoughts are of them before I go to sleep. I want to know as much about that person as I possibly can. I study how to make that person happy. I want to serve that person and bring joy to their lives. And they in turn bring such joy to my heart...
Love is not just a feeling of course ... it's so much more. It's a sanctified choice of the will, as Inspiration tells us. I love the following passage!
"True love is not a strong, fiery, impetuous passion. On the contrary, it is calm and deep in its nature. It looks beyond mere externals, and is attracted by qualities alone. It is wise and discriminating, and its devotion is real and abiding.
Love, lifted out of the realm of passion and impulse, becomes spiritualized, and is revealed in words and acts. A Christian must have a sanctified tenderness and love in which there is no impatience or fretfulness; the rude, harsh manners must be softened by the grace of Christ." (Adventist Home, p. 51)As I think about what it means to love someone here on earth, I think many of the same principles apply in our relationship with God... and that is my prayer today. That I will not be distracted by the many voices around me, but that I will stand before my God, in Love! That it will be HIS face I most desire to see, His voice I most desire to hear. That I will long to always be in His presence and make it my life study how to make Him happy and bring joy to His heart...
Oh Lord, teach me what it means to BE in LOVE before Your throne!
Tomorrow's Reading: 2 Chron. 13-15 and Eph. 2
No comments:
Post a Comment