… was a gift of love –
a love that hung on a cross for our sake.
As we enter this season leading to February14th, the day known as Valentine’s Day … when we all espouse a greater amount of “love talk” and supposedly become more loving toward our fellow man, I’ve put together a few thoughts to share with you:
Love Makes the World Go ‘Round! … That’s a statement that’s been made by many over the years. It’s also the title of a song … just one of hundreds, if not thousands, of popular songs which have been written about love.
As a singer, through these many years I’ve sung love songs like Love is a Many-Splendored Thing, What the World Needs Now is Love, Sweet Love, I Love You Hums the April Breeze, I Love You Echo the Hills, along with spiritual/praise songs such as Broken & Spilled Out, Jesus Loves Me, I Love You Lord and I Lift My Voice and What Wondrous Love Is This.
Why are there so many songs that speak of love? Why is “love” so important? Because love showered on each of us is like snow – to love someone is to not see their faults … all that is obscured, like when the snow falls on a yard filled with trash … it’s covered over and is white and pure and sparkly and fresh looking – that’s what a loving mind does and that’s in the greatest sense what the Lord does … His love does not dwell on the negatives, the impurities, the ugliness. He dwells on the beautiful CREATION He made US to be.
His love focuses on the good and the sweet and the positive things. Imagine when one is in the “state of love”, one can’t get enough of his or her beloved—there is born within that situation, a freshness, like a Spring breeze, or a Summer shower, that makes things look new, washed and clean. There is a promise of wonderful things to come … love is like a balm that covers over and soothes … love is the excitement of our spirits, a confirmation that we are really, seriously important to another person. It means we’re accepted for what we are, at this very moment.
There’s a quote written by Thomas Merton that says: “God’s love is like a river springing up in the Divine Substance and flowing endlessly through His creation, filling all things with life and goodness and strength.’’
George MacDonald wrote … “few delights can equal the mere presence of one whom we trust utterly. That’s the trust we have through love”.
The Apostle Paul, writing in his “love” chapter in I Corinthians says, “If I speak in the tongues of men and angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.” How about “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.” (I Corinthians 13: 1 & 4 – NIV)
Love,
Alicia Taylor
(Alicia is the wife of enLighten’s “Chief Shepherd” Marlin Taylor, and the feminine voice heard identifying the station.)
NOTE: Alicia will have more thoughts on the subject of love next week at this same time … right here at this same place!
We’d love to receive and read your thoughts on love or any appropriate subject … so we invite you to send them along right now!
