October 14th
Air Mail
An old song has in its words, "What the world needs now is love, sweet love..." How true that is. But further, since you and I are part of that world then that equates to what you and I need is love, sweet love.
I think that it is sometimes hard to love others and/or love ourself when things could be going better for us. Right? Jesus tells us through the Word, (Matthew. 19:19 and same words in 22:39)
"Love your neighbor: as you love yourself."It is a beautiful triangle. God does love you, my friend. You are commanded to love yourself. You are commanded to love others.
Let me share you this story - it sorta is a "tear-jerker" It is about a little 8 year old girl who lost her parents. After being moved from one set of relatives to another she was finally placed in an orphanage. Some of the attendants thought of her as...like an unsolved situation....she was unattractive, unpopular and really, really shy.
One day the director of the orphanage noticed her walking toward the front gate of the grounds. He thought that she might be considering running away, so he followed her. When she got to the iron fence she stopped and placed a piece of paper on the branch of a tree which hung over the sidewalk.
The director went to the tree, opened the note and read it. He smiled as he placed it back where she had hung it. What did it read? It read: "TO ANYONE WHO FINDS THIS: I LOVE YOU."
So, back to the triangle. God has sent you, my friend a love note: Jesus on the cross. If you ask Him "Hey, Jesus, how much do you love me?" He stretches His arms out wide (as on the cross) and says..."this much". In your situation accept that fact and in your situation look in the mirror and say to yourself, "Hey, self, I love you, you are pretty good after all." THEN, amid negative happenings, reach out to others. It is like losing your self to reach out in love to another. Where? Where you live, where you work, where you play "hang the note with expressions."
Let's Pray
Lord, I thank you that even in the mess I might find myself, that you love me. Help me not be so absorbed in my problems that I fail to reach out to another, in the name of Jesus.
Amen