How Love’s Made Complete

Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us. – (1 John 4:11-12, NIV)

This is how much God loved us, dear friends! So we also must love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us. If we love each other, God’s love has reached its goal – it is made perfect in us. – (1 John 4:11-12, ERV)

My dear, dear friends, if God loved us like this, we certainly ought to love each other. No one has seen God, ever. But if we love one another, God dwells deeply within us, and His love becomes complete in us – perfect love! – (1 John 4:11-12, MSG)

God’s overwhelming, never-ending, sacrificial love demonstrates to us, repeatedly, what love ought to be. Though we have not seen the face of God yet, we can clearly see His love all around us. Our charge is to love like Him so that His love may be made complete in us and give those around us the opportunity to come to know the same. Through loving God and loving people, God works in and through us to more clearly make His love known. We are imperfect vessels, yet we are perfectly loved and can extend the same to those around us as we trust and rely on God to lead us. Today, my Viking is taking the day off to accompany me to an appointment with a specialist. He did not have to, yet I am comforted in knowing he will be beside me as we discover possible next steps and a plan for continued healing and care. His loving sacrifice for me is a glimpse of just how much God loves us and is made tangible through my spouse. May we ever seek the Lord, who lives in us, to lead us in His perfect love so that we may clearly share the goodness of God.  

God’s love is perfect,

His goodness made known;

Evident through those,

Who seek to be shown.

Shown goodness and grace,

Loving sacrifice;

A love so much more,

Than just being nice.

The love of God sees,

And then reaches out;

Both actions and words,

That of goodness shout.

O Lord, please lead us,

To love as You do;

Never withholding,

The light that is You.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that Your love is perfect. Thank You that You show us again and again, the goodness and fullness of Your love through those around us. Forgive us for the times that our words and actions did not clearly reflect Your heart to those around us. Teach us to listen well, so that we might make the most of every opportunity to love as we are loved by You. Show us how to love those around us as You intended. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we thank and praise You for the countless ways that You make Your love known and seek You to lead us so Your love is shown. Amen.

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

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. – 1 Corinthians 13:13

Faithful Love Follows

But from eternity to eternity the Lord’s faithful love is toward those who fear Him, and His righteousness toward the grandchildren of those who keep His covenant, who remember to observe His precepts. – (Psalm 103:17-18, HCSB)

But the Lord has always loved His followers, and He will continue to love them forever and ever! He will be good to all their descendants, to those who are faithful to His agreement and who remember to obey His commands. – (Psalm 103:17-18, ERV)

But the unfailing love of the Eternal is always and eternal for those who reverently run after Him. He extends His justice on and on to future generations, to those who will keep His bond of love and remember to walk in the guidance of His commands. – (Psalm 103:17-18, VOICE)

My maternal grandmother was the epitome of a person who was faithful to follow after God, and she loved and prayed for us all. Her kind and loving ways were an example to each of us, and I can see the fruit of her faithfulness to our family. Though not all of the grandchildren choose to follow after God, I can see His hand in all of our lives, for He has protected and provided for us all. My hope is that I might grow in grace and follow in her footsteps. Grandchildren are not on the radar anytime soon, yet I pray for and love our kids as I have been loved and prayed for. God is faithful, and I can see the fruit of my own mom’s faithful prayers in her grandchildren. Each has been protected and held, despite the challenges that life provides. May we ever seek the Lord to lead us to follow Him whole-heartedly, and to faithfully love and pray for our children and their children to follow. 

The Lord is faithful,

Gram and some of her great-grandkids. ❤

To those who seek Him;

His presence assured,

As He is asked in.

His love – unfailing,

For He remains near;

To those who ask Him,

His presence is clear.

The Lord’s faithfulness,

Carries on and on;

To those who seek Him,

His love is shown strong.

May we continue,

To love and lift up;

Our kids and their kids,

So faith is built up.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are faithful to those who seek You, and to their descendants that follow. Thank You that You show us what it looks like to faithfully follow You through our parents and grandparents. Forgive us for the times that we have not set the example that You intended. Teach us to pursue You whole-heartedly and to lift up and love well our children and their children to come. Show us how to love as You love, so that Your heart may be made tangible to those around us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we continue to seek You and pursue a life of loving those around us as You do. Amen.

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

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His faithful love endures forever. – 1 Chronicles 16:34

Our Reasons to Praise

Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim His greatness. Let the whole world know what He has done. – (1 Chronicles 16:8, NLT)

Give thanks to the Lord and call out to Him! Tell the nations what He has done! – (1 Chronicles 16:8, ERV)

Thank God! Call out His Name! Tell the whole world who He is and what He’s done! – (1 Chronicles 16:8, MSG)

Having a much needed long weekend reminds my mind and heart of all that I have and the countless reasons I have to give thanks. God is good, even when life’s circumstances are not. I am blessed with family and friends near and far, a roof over my head, working vehicles to get where we need to go and back again, a job, a healthy body, crazy puppies, a church and community to be a part of, and God’s love made tangible through the wonderful ones that He has placed in my life. For all of these things, and so much more, I give thanks. May we ever be intentional to take pause and recognize the reasons that we have to give God thanks, and make His goodness known as we pass on the blessings that we have been given to all those around us.

Give thanks to the Lord,

Choose call on His Name;

He is always good,

As His love proclaims.

Our reasons to praise,

Come from all He gives;

Our hope, peace and love,

The life that we live.

May our lives exclaim,

God’s goodness and grace;

So all too may know,

Of His loving ways.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for all of the ways You bless us, protect us, and pour Your love out upon us and give us peace. Thank You that You are our hope, help and peace. Forgive us for the times that we neglect to recognize Your goodness all around us. Teach us to see the good in all things and to give You thanks for the love that You bring. Show us how to extend the same sort of love to all those around us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we give You thanks and praise and tell of all Your wonderful ways. Amen.

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

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His faithful love endures forever. – 1 Chronicles 16:34

Comfort and Joy

When I am filled with cares, Your comfort brings me joy. – (Psalm 94:19, HCSB)

I was very worried and upset, but You comforted me and made me happy. – (Psalm 94:19, ERV)

When I was upset and beside myself, You calmed me down and cheered me up. – (Psalm 94:19, MSG)

Whenever my busy thoughts were out of control, the soothing comfort of Your presence calmed me down and overwhelmed me with delight. – (Psalm 94:19, TPT)

I am constantly amazed by the Lord and how He brings balance back into our lives. When we are overwhelmed with what surrounds us, He brings us peace, comfort and compassion that bring us joy. He calls us into community so that His love can be made tangible. God is good, and He brings us the peace of His presence that shows us again what is good.

When life overwhelms,

And all seems a mess;

Choose turn to the Lord,

For He knows what’s best.

He soothes weary hearts,

Brings comfort and peace;

Reason to delight,

As love is released.

So, turn to the Lord,

Allow His love in;

His joy and His peace,

Restore hope again.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that when we are weary and overwhelmed, we can come to You to find comfort and peace. Thank You that You show us again what is good, and bring delight, even in the seeming darkness. Forgive us for our frustrations and fears when all seems too much to bear. Show us again, that You are with us and for us, and remind our hearts of our reasons to rejoice. Lead us to love one another well, so that all whom we encounter are encouraged and built up. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we bring our cares before You and You exchange the weight for the joy found in You. Amen.

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

He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God. – 2 Corinthians 1:4

Tangible Peace

May the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with all of you. – (2 Thessalonians 3:16, HCSB)

We pray that the Lord of peace will give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with you all. – (2 Thessalonians 3:16, ERV)

May the Master of Peace himself give you the gift of getting along with each other at all times, in all ways. May the Master be truly among you! – (2 Thessalonians 3:16, MSG)

Now, may the Lord himself, the Lord of peace, pour into you His peace in every circumstance and in every possible way. The Lord’s tangible presence be with you all. – (2 Thessalonians 3:16, TPT)

In Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians, this verse is a portion of his closing. His exhortation to them remains relevant and applicable to us today. I, for one, need God’s peace now more than ever. I am so thankful for His presence that provides peace, even when peace does not make sense. Getting along with others actively contributes to peace, and His presence makes it possible. As a visual and experiential learner, I so appreciate The Passions Translation that says, “the Lord’s tangible presence be with you all.” When God’s truth is made tangible, something that we can see, feel, experience and hold onto, it becomes a reality that we will not readily release. The more we invest in intentional time with Him, the more we understand and experience His peace. May we ever seek the Lord to be our peace in every situation and circumstance, and may we rely on Him to help us be at peace with all of those around us.

O Lord, hear our prayer,

For Your perfect peace;

To ever be near,

And set hearts at ease.

Show us Your goodness,

Fill us with Your love;

Lead us to live well,

With grace from above.

Help us show others,

Your love and Your grace;

Your heart tangible,

In all things, always.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that the same encouragement that was needed and granted so long ago, is still relevant and a blessing today. Thank You that You are the God of all peace, and You provide us paths to live accordingly. Forgive us for our frustrations and fears that disrupt the peace that You are offering. Show us how to lean into You in places that it is difficult to see and experience peace in the midst of seeming chaos. Lead us to love in a way that makes Your loving kindness tangible to all. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to lead us in Your love and be promoters of peace in places it is needed most. Amen.

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

The Lord gives His people strength; the Lord blesses His people with peace. – Psalm 29:11

People With Purpose

A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need. – (Proverbs 17:17, NLT)

Friends love through all kinds of weather, and families stick together in all kinds of trouble. – (Proverbs 17:17, MSG)

A dear friend will love you no matter what, and a family sticks together through all kinds of trouble. – (Proverbs 17:17, TPT)

 

No truer words have ever been penned, as I have been overwhelmingly blessed and surrounded, each and every day since our whole world as we knew it, changed. Yesterday, as I drove home for the first time in three weeks, I was flooded with emotions that I could not quite identify. I was disgusted by the overgrowth of weeds in the yard, angered that I could not get my Jeep in the garage, and then stuck in an ugly emptiness I cannot quite describe, as I walked into the silent, uninhabited house. My husband was working, my boys at school, and my bonus son, upstairs sleeping soundly. There was no greeting; nothing to make me feel glad to be home, only stuck in a sorrowful space for having left my mom. My best friend sent a text, a quite timely one, asking me to go for a walk with she and her pups. She knew what I needed, better than I did, and I hesitantly agreed. After a good, long walk and talk with two happy dogs leading the way, I was in a much better space to return home and meet up with my boys, who were heading home from school, and ready to see me as well. The three of us enjoyed a late lunch together at a favorite local spot, then we returned home where the two of them retreated for a nap, as the end of the school year had caught up with them. Sadly, the silence again got to me, and I was left with my own angst. Determined to put the excess energy to good use, I went out front and began to tackle the weeds. By the time Mark made his way home from work, I had spent a few hours weeding, showered, changed, and was in a far better space; ready to enjoy our time together. Our evening flew by, as we ran a few errands together, and then ended up at the home of our besties on their deck for a visit, before heading home for the night. Up early this morning to share coffee together, he is running around now, making final preparations before leaving for his week-long motorcycle trip. The boys are preparing for a day at Sea Scouts, and I will spend the day with my best friend. Though things home are not how I might have hoped during my first trip home in so long, I am blessed with wonderful friends and family who love and support me faithfully through this most difficult season.

As for mom, yesterday was a far fuller day than originally anticipated. With an early start, mom was at the table for breakfast with me while I did my devotions and writing, hung out and visited and saw me off as I headed home, prepared for the day with Meg, had a visit from the nurse, went to an anti-coagulation specialist in town, returned home for speech therapy, had lunch, then finished off the string of appointments with physical therapy. Though long and busy, all appointments went extremely well. Speech therapy was especially encouraging, as it seems to be the fastest area of her recovery. It is incredible that each time the speech therapist comes, there is obvious improvement from the session prior. I imagine her visits with dear friends are contributing to the acceleration of her progress.

May we seek the Lord to give us strength to be the loyal, close friends and family to those around us who need our support.

 

Friends who are loyal,

And family close;

Oh what a treasure,

To be blessed with both.

As life ebbs and flows,

And trials do come;

Support’s a treasure,

From the Holy One.

A wondrous gift,

To be truly known;

And loved anyway,

It’s how God’s heart’s shown.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of friends and family that You give to us. Thank You that You strengthen and equip them to be Your hands, heart and voice to us when we need it most. Thank You that Your love is made tangible through the people whom You place in our lives. Forgive us for allowing our circumstances to overwhelm us to the point of isolation, rather than allowing those whom You bring to walk beside us, by Your grace. Teach us to trust You more, and to receive all that You lovingly offer. Show us how to love those around us in a way that listens, helps, holds, encourages, and supports best, in the same way that You do for us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we praise You for the gift of the people whom You have placed in our lives with purpose. May we too, be such people for others. Amen.

 

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

 

Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. – Romans 12:10

Demonstrated through Deeds

Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. – (1 John 3:18, NLT)

My children, our love should not be only words and talk. No, our love must be real. We must show our love by the things we do. – (1 John 3:18, ERV)

Beloved children, our love can’t be an abstract theory we only talk about, but a way of life demonstrated through our loving deeds. – (1 John 3:18, TPT)

 

Love is a verb. To truly make the love of God tangible, we must love with more than words. Acts of love done without expectation of anything in return, reveal the remarkable heart of our Redeemer. We have a Secret Pal system in place where I work. Prior to the onset of random acts of kindness, all who opt to participate complete a simple survey that includes information about the person we plan to bless throughout the school year. There is much joy in finding out more about the person we have chosen, so that we may demonstrate love through kind acts that remind the person that they are known and that they matter. Additionally, when we demonstrate our love for those around us – our family, friends, colleagues, and the like – we are exhibiting glimpses of God’s love made tangible. Each act of love shows the recipient that they are known and valued. Whenever we prefer one another in love, we model the truth of the love of the Lord, and give rise to the goodness of God. May we never limit our love to mere words, but rather demonstrate the lavish love of the Lord through loving deeds.

 

The love of the Lord,

Photo by Dee Jones of Open Door Photography ❤

Is ours to display;

Through more than mere words,

Love’s a verb each day.

Called to take action,

To show with our deeds;

Each done with a love,

That meets others’ needs.

So, let us rise up,

in love, take action;

Choose to move in love,

Holy transaction.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your goodness and grace. Thank You that You have shown us in countless ways, how love takes action. Thank You that all can come to know You and be the recipients of Your love. Forgive us for not acting in love at times when we have the opportunity. Teach us to trust You more, so that we gain greater insight as to how we may put love into practice. Show us how to make love tangible for those around us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we love You and seek to love those around us with more than mere words. Amen.

 

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

 

May Your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in You. – Psalm 33:22