Seek Love that Lasts

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. – (Proverbs 31:30, NIV)

Charm can be deceptive and physical beauty will not last, but a woman who reveres the Eternal should be praised above all others. – (Proverbs 31:30, VOICE)

Charm can be misleading, and beauty is vain and so quickly fades, but this virtuous woman lives in the wonder, awe, and fear of the Lord. She will be praised throughout eternity. – (Proverbs 31:30, TPT)

 

Fear of the Lord is a healthy reverence for who He is. It is not the sort of fear that causes us to cower in a corner because there is a lack of love, but rather it is a respect that is filled with awe for who God is and the incredible power He holds in His hands. When we operate our lives in wonder and awe, this healthy fear of the Lord, we begin to love God and love people in the ways that we are called to love. *Charm, or the power of pleasing or attracting through personality or beauty, is not love. (*dictionary.com) Love is a decision that chooses to speak truth, rather than seeks to please, and though love is attractive, it is not given selfishly with the hope of something in return, but rather, it is a pure intention to give of ourselves freely, as we are loved by God. Beauty is an interesting attribute as well, as what one eye perceives as beautiful, another finds ordinary. However, those with beautiful hearts are most often remembered as beautiful. So often, the more I know the heart of someone, the more beautiful they become in my eyes. Physical beauty fades, but beauty of the heart continues to grow as we walk more closely with the Lord. The to be praised portion of this verse reminds me that there are eternal benefits to loving God and loving people. Great is our reward when all is said and done. He blesses us here, but has prepared so much more for us when our time on earth is through. It all points back to loving God and loving people. May we be filled with awe and reverence for the Lord who loves us with an everlasting love, and go forth and love others with a love that is pure and selfless and otherly, exactly as love was designed.

 

Be not deceived,

By beauty or charm;

Seek love that lasts,

And does not do harm.

With reverence,

Stand in awe of God;

All love’s from Him,

For now and beyond.

Rise up and choose,

To love as we’re called;

God and people,

By grace, love for all.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are what lasts. Thank You that as we invest in relationship with You, we come to know and understand love as You intended it to be. Thank You that as we choose to walk forward in the love You call us to, You show us the goodness that is for now and all that is yet to come. Forgive us for the times that we have lacked reverence for You or love for others. Teach us to live out each day in love, according to Your perfect plan. Show us how to love others well, so that they may know the depth and breadth of love found in You. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek to love You and love people well. Amen.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

But the eyes of the Lord are on all those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in His unfailing love. – Psalm 33:18

Faithful Beyond What We Can Fathom

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them. – (Romans 8:28, NLT)

We know that in everything God works for the good of those who love Him. These are the people God chose, because that was His plan. – (Romans 8:28, ERV)

We are confident that God is able to orchestrate everything to work toward something good and beautiful when we love Him and accept His invitation to live according to His plan. – (Romans 8:28, VOICE)

 

Though I have seen and experienced this to be true again and again in my life, I still struggle when I cannot see how good could possibly come in the midst of difficulty. What I have to look at is not whether or not I see how good may come forth, but rather ask myself if I am walking out my purpose to which I have been called. I love God and know that which I have been called to do to live according to His plan. In that, I have to trust that He will be faithful to bring good from the battles and beauty where all seems to be in ashes. May we ever place our confident hope in He who is faithful, and trust Him to work everything together for good as we love Him and seek to walk out our purpose according to His will.

 

Let us have great faith, 

As we love the Lord;

For He works all things,

For those who adore.

As we choose to trust,

He’s faithful to do;

What He has promised,

For His word is true.

In Him, good shall come,

Despite what we see;

He’s faithful always,

His love brings beauty.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You work everything out for our ultimate good as we love and trust in You. Forgive us for not trusting You beyond what we see and help us to know that You are faithful forever to those who love You and seek to do Your will. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would trust You for the good that is yet to come, rather than fixing our eyes on the struggle we are in. Show us how to love and encourage those around us so that they may trust You in the ultimate outcome of all situations and circumstances. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust in Your faithfulness to bring good, even when we cannot fathom how it will be so. Amen.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me. – Genesis 21:6

Choose Love Anyway

But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and good, and sends rain on the righteous and unrighteous. – (Matthew 5:44-45, NIV) 

But I tell you, love your enemies. Pray for those who treat you badly. If you do this, you will be children who are truly like your Father in heaven. He lets the sun rise for all people, whether they are good or bad. He sends rain to those who do right and those who do wrong. – (Matthew 5:44-45, ERV) 

 

This can be a serious challenge to actually live out each day. To choose to love, is to make a choice to not respond harshly or rudely, even when that is what we are given. Love is patient and kind and keeps no record of wrongs. That is not to say that we are meant to walk into and remain in abusive and hostile situations, but rather when we are treated any way other than that which God intended, we are meant to respond as He would. Our first line of defense is to pray for those who are against us. So often, it is a matter of hurting people choosing to hurt people out of their own wounded spaces. It does not make it right or acceptable, but it is often a point of prayer for help and healing to be provided for the very one who is causing pain. While we were yet sinners, God loved us. At one point, each of us who call on His Name, discovered the depth of His grace, love, kindness and forgiveness for us, despite our initial lack of love for Him. He tore down the barriers built by our own brokenness and loved us to life in Him. May we choose to love and pray for those who need it most, as God can do far more than we could hope or imagine when we seek Him to intervene in ugly spaces. 

 

We are called to love, 

And choose pray for all; 

Especially those, 

Who want us to fall. 

For as we were once, 

God’s enemies too; 

He loved us to life, 

And made our hearts new. 

Let us choose to pray, 

For those against us; 

Choose love anyway, 

Just as Jesus does. 

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that while we were yet sinners and walking against You, You broke through the barriers of our hurting hearts and loved us to life. Thank You that You call us to do the same. Forgive us for forgetting to pray for those who treat us poorly. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would rely on You for strength and direction as to how to love everyone as You would have us love. Show us how to love even the most difficult to love as You do, so that Your heart may be made evident through our actions. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek Your wisdom and strength to love our enemies and pray for those who treat us poorly. Amen. 

 

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

You have made known to me the paths of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence. – Acts 2:28

All Things for Good

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them. – (Romans 8:28, NLT)

We are confident that God is able to orchestrate everything to work toward something good and beautiful when we love Him and accept His invitation to live according to His plan. – (Romans 8:28, VOICE)

 

When we love God and choose to follow Him, He takes everything that we experience, and uses it for His good. The Lord has a way of using even our darkest, most difficult days, to bring light and life to those who are walking similar paths. I am always amazed how God can take something so hard and horrible, and turn it into something useful and beneficial, when we are able to walk beside another and offer hope, encouragement, strength and comfort, because no one can speak into difficulty quite so clearly as one who has walked the very same road. May we be willing to accept the Lord’s invitation to live according to His plan, and trust that He will cause ALL THINGS to work together for good.

 

The Lord God is good,

in everything;

for all who love Him,

His good He shall bring.

For even darkness,

shall shine with His light;

when God’s hand’s present,

all things used for right.

His purpose prevails,

for He is the Lord;

strength for the weary,

all grace He affords.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You cause ALL THINGS to work together for the good of those who love You and are called according to your purpose. Forgive us for neglecting Your invitation to live according to Your plan, and help us to accept and obey whatever You ask of us. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would rise up and be ready for whatever comes our way, trusting that You will lead us each day. Show us how to love others in a way that points their hearts and hope to You. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust You to work all things together for the greater good that You have planned for us. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present.

Because of the tender mercy of our God, …the rising sun will come to us from heaven. – Luke 1:78

 

Understanding Leads to Peace

So all of you should live together in peace. Try to understand each other. Love each other like brothers and sisters. Be kind and humble. – (1 Peter 3:8, ERV)

So often, our lack of understanding is what causes unrest among us. When we seek to understand one another in love, we discover His capacity to be kind and humble toward one another, and peace begins to enter in. Each one of us are His created, called to be children of God. If we view every other human as a sibling, our attitude adjusts, and we seek to care for and understand, rather than seeing others as foe to battle or those from whom to run. May we seek to understand one another in love, kindness and humility today, so that we discover how to live together in His place of peace to which we are called.

Seek understanding,

and love each other;

be kind and humble,

sisters and brothers.

For God intended,

we all live in peace;

in Him united,

all angst be released.

Let the Lord’s great love,

lead us in all things;

as we look to Him,

peace His presence brings.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that in You, we can all live together in peace. Thank You that by Your grace, we can seek understanding in love, and approach one another with kindness and humility, as sisters and brothers in You. Thank You that this is not something that we are to somehow do on our own, but rather what You call and equip us to do as Your children. Forgive us for not seeking peace, or for making assumptions rather than trying to understand one another. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would rely on You and Your leading to go forth in kindness and humility, wherever You call us to go. Show us how to love others in such a way, that we may grow in our understanding and learn to live together in peace. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek to understand others in Your love, as sisters and brothers, with kindness and humility. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present.

May God Almighty grant you mercy. – Genesis 43:14