Love is...Digging deep & then digging deeper

I have taken the invitation to tear the scriptures apart.. beginning with 1 Corinthians 13v4-8...
And I invite you to jump in on the journey. If you are scared, jump! Just don't hold your breath (smile).

Most are familiar with 1 Corinthians 13v4-8... many times referred to as the "love verses" or "marriage scriptures"..But as we begin this journey together let us read it with a renewed heart and mind asking God to reveal to us His character as He is the essence of Love. 

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails.

God is the essence of Love.

So we read 1 Corinthians 13v4-8 with Him in mind:

God is patient, God is kind. God does not envy, God does not boast, God is not proud.  God does not dishonor others, God is not self-seeking, God is not easily angered, God keeps no record of wrongs.  God does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  God always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  God never fails.

Now, lets dig in, shall we?!
Breaking down the scriptures is such an adventure... you think you have dug deep until you get to "deep" and you can go "deeper." Loving the mystery of God!

Here are the definitions and antonyms of the words that are being used to describe love...

Patient- Bearing provocation, annoyance, misfortune, delay, hardship, pain, etc., with fortitude and calm and without complaint, anger, or the like.
Impatient- not patient; not accepting delay, opposition, pain, etc., with calm or patience. Restless in    desire or expectation; eagerly desirous. 

Kind-  implies a deep-seated characteristic shown either habitually or on occasion by considerate behavior
unkind- lacking in kindness or mercy; severe.

Does not envy 
Envy- a feeling of discontent or covetousness with regard to another's advantages, success, possessions, etc.

Does not boast
Boast -to speak in exaggerated or excessively proud terms of one's possessions, skills, or superior qualities; brag


Is not Proud
Proud-feeling pleasure or satisfaction over something regarded as highly honorable or creditable to oneself

Does not dishonor others
Dishonor-  to deprive of honor; disgrace; bring reproach or shame on

Is not self-seeking
Self-seeking- the act or an instance of seeking one's own profit or interest, esp exclusively 

Is not easily angered 
angered- a strong feeling of displeasure and belligerence [easily] aroused by a wrong; wrath

Keeps no record of wrong
forgiving- to grant pardon of..

Does not delight in evil
evil-morally wrong;wicked,

Rejoices with truth
truth- the state or character of being true

Always protects
protects- to defend or guard from attack

Always hopes
hopes- to look forward to with desire and reasonable confidence

Always perseveres
persevere- to persist with anything undertaken; maintain a purpose in spite of difficulty

Never fails
fails- to fall short of success


As we pray through this scripture we see the depth of the love God has for us... let this love transform our hearts and drip off of us so we may learn to love deeper...and when we think we are loving deep we see that deep can go deeper.

 

 

Tis' The Season In Being Thankful... (part III)

It is said that the life is in the journey.  That there is life to be had here and now. The life to be had is in the good, the messy, the broken.. that the life is not when perfection comes. It's not having to be put together for the journey...the journey is for being put together. 

To begin the journey is in response to the One who invites us. The journey is an adventure.. the unknown..the only journey that is found full of LIFE!

So why I am so afraid to risk? I live for adventure...I have been given the gift of 2 boys! I LOVE adventure.. it's in my blood.. it makes me come alive..

I have been wrestling in the depths of my heart with why I have the tendency to hold back from fully engaging on this journey? Is it because I know that when taking the adventure, the journey, you are either all in or not. Ready to risk it all or to risk nothing. That it requires complete trust. Requires complete faith. That it WILL cost me something or possibly everything... Yet I do know, freedom comes when true life is experienced.

A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of. - John 10v10 (msg)

I pray we respond to the invitation in reckless abandonment day after day, may it be moment to moment....being put back together while on the journey, while experiencing this adventure. This journey is promised to be good and fulfilling.. praying we will know this full and well.

Thankful for the invitation. Thankful for LIFE in the journey, full of a deep love, a deep calling...full of hope.
  
The ONE who calls is faithful.