1 Corinthians 16:14 - Whatever You Do, Do It With Love.
1 Corinthians 16:14 (NIV) Do everything in
love.
COMMENTARY PEARL
Two or my closest friends write
incredible romance novels. When the main character
finds herself in a terrible situation, along comes
the hero. Somehow, against dismal odds, they
solve the problem and fall in love in the process.
These stories are entertaining, and the characters
are memorable. But aside from these colleagues'
works, I rarely read books in that genre. Why?
Because I'm already living a romance. Nothing beats
reality.
My first years together with my husband,
David, were like a winding road with a washboard
surface. We struggled to understand the mystery of
wedded bliss, clunking along until we found the
answer in Luke 6:31 (NIV): Do to others as you
would have them do to you. If I want romantic
moments, I need to offer them. If I need forgiveness,
I first must give it. And to be appreciated, I
must possess a thankful heart.
Like a novel, David and I perpetually
find ourselves in the midst of one fix or
another. Now married for forty-two years, our current
challenge is the bathroom. At this point, it has a
toilet. That's it. And it's been years getting it
this far. Will our love survive this test or will
our relationship fall by the wayside, yet
another victim of household repair? I've peeked at
the conclusion of this story and know it ends
happily.
Today is Valentine's Day. There will be
kisses and secret smiles and maybe a flower or two.
But the gift I'm most thankful for is my
husband's devotion. Jesus's love permeates our union,
whether we have a bathroom sink or not. Heidi Gaul
Faith Step: Be fully present for your
dear ones today, offering all you do in love.
[Mornings With Jesus 2023 Devotional by Guideposts and
Zondervan]
COMMENTARY
Don't Quit
Years ago, I listened as Anna Sklar, the
author of a book titled Runaway Wives, shared some
shocking statistics:
Early in the twentieth century, for every
wife or mother who walked away from her home and
responsibilities, six hundred husbands and fathers did so.
Just ten years later, after the women's
liberation movement, for each man who did that, two
women did the same.
Pause and let that sink in. Do the math.
I'm not advocating either side, but I'm
just amazed at the unbelievably rapid rise in
modern-day women who choose escape as their favorite
method of coping. There is not an achievement worth
remembering that isn't stained with the blood of
diligence and checkered with the scars of
disappointment. To quit may feel good now, but it's a bummer
when life's bills come due.
Churchill put it well:
Wars are not won by evacuations.
Battles are won in the trenches, in the
grit and grime of courageous determination
not by a violent jerk now and then but a
prolonged pull, day in and day out. The same is true
of our salvation.
The man who bore on his body "the scars
that show [he belongs] to Jesus" (Galatians 6:17)
was a living example of his own counsel:
My dear brothers and sisters, be strong
and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for
the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for
the Lord is ever useless. Be on guard. Stand
firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And
do everything with love. 1 Corinthians 15:58; 1
Corinthians 16:13-14
Giving thought to giving up? Considering
the possibility of quitting? Looking for an easy
way out? Entertaining the idea of running away
stopping before it's finished escaping
from reality? Admittedly, the holiday season only
encourages such feelings of despair.
Don't! Instead, I urge you to draw near
to God and to His people. Don't retreat, but
rather surround yourself with loving, supportive
friends. And let God be gracious to you. It's always
harder to quit when a few friends stand with you.
[Chuck Swindoll www.insight.org.]
LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY
1 Corinthians 16:14 - Whatever You Do, Do It
With Love.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2020/20200310-1550.html
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
https://abible.com/links/
