Another way to warm up our homes:
"Love" is a word that is over used and abused in the English language. We say we love chocolate. But do we really love chocolate as much as we love our children, our Bibles, our friends? We must love like Christ loved if we are to have happy homes.
We say we love our children and our husbands. But do we love them way Christ loves them? No.
How do we love like Christ loves? We don't. We can't. Not without help from Him.
I recently read a book by Amy Carmichael called "IF". It's a great book! (I won it on a giveaway over at The Bishops Wife.) I read it all in about 2 hours, highlighted a bunch of things I liked, and now, I'm going back through it because there really is so much to it. It's so convicting and scary to think of how short I fall on this whole loving people thing.
In the book, she (Amy Carmichael) describes love as a river. You can stand on a river bank and watch the water flow past for a few moments. Is it the same river a few moments later? Yes, but the water rushing past you now is different. Love is similar to that river. Love is something that is constantly flowing; constantly being replaced and replenished by more love. This can't happen if we don't know the Saviour because He is the One Who supplies and replenishes our love every moment, hour, day.
Page 67 says, "The empty riverbed "inherits" the water that pours through it from the heights; it does not not create that water, it only receives it, and it's treasuries are filled, it's pools overflow for the blessing and refreshment of the land. It is so with us: our treasuries of time, our years with all their months, weeks, days. hours, minutes, are filled with the flowing treasure of love that we may help others."
WOW!! I'm amazed and inspired to love better; to love more. To love the way that Jesus loved! How much warmer do you think our homes would be if we loved with HIS love and stopped trying to pretend that we've got it all under control? Now unto Him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto Him be glory. Ephesians 3:20
A few other quotes from her book:
If I love to be loved more than to love, to be served more than to serve, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If a sudden jar can cause me to speak an impatient, unloving word, then I know nothing of Calvary love. For a cup brimful of sweet water cannot spill even one drop of bitter water, however suddenly jolted. (ouch!)
If I say "Yes, I forgive, but I cannot forget," as though the God, who twice a day washes all the sands on all the shores of all the world, could not wash such memories from mind, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If by doing some work which the undiscerning consider "not spiritual work" I can best help others, and I inwardly rebel, thinking it is the spiritual for which I crave, when in truth it is the interesting and exciting, then I know noting of Calvary love.
If I look back longingly on what used to be, and linger among the byways of memory, so that my power to help is weakened, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
There's so much more to this book. Its crazy convicting and something every mother needs to read.
281 verses in the Bible deal with love. Here are a few:
- Greater love hath no man than this; that a man lay down his life for his friend.- John 15:13
- Perfect love casteth out fear. - I John 4:18
- God is love. - I John 4:8
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This was very convicting. Thank you for sharing and I am going to look up this book for further reading.
ReplyDeleteI agree! I can't even look at the book without being convicted. =}
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