“O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.” (John 17:25-26 KJV)
It was Monday evening and I hadn’t even thought about next Sunday’s sermon. I hadn’t read a Scripture, made a single note, or looked at praise and worship songs. We’d been inundated with prayer requests, anxious phone calls, pastoral visits and other equally important issues.
As I sat at the table waiting for Bobbie to pass the meatloaf, I mentally ticked off the unfinished items on my To-Do-List. Every item was important and screamed for attention. I was having a panic attack when the phone rang once again and the doorbell too.
And so the chaos continued right up to midnight as one thing after another pushed my agenda deeper into the wilderness of Unfinished Things. I walked exhausted toward our bedroom when the fax machine suddenly burst forth with its staccato of rings. Grabbing my hammer I headed into the office intent on burying the wicked thing. I had reached my limit!
But as I entered the office, the fax finished printing out producing a smile on my face. Centered on the page was a heart. I picked it up and examined it closely. It was from a friend with this message: “Love is why!”
The emotions welled up within me. Anxiety and worry over my agenda slipped away in that moment of release and relief. The heart arrived at the most opportune moment. I needed the rest. Even without the written message, the unexpected picture of the heart would have gotten my attention.
Love is why! Love is why the friend sent me this message. Love is why I had ministered in the extreme all day. Love is why God sent his only son to a stable in Bethlehem over two thousand years ago. Love is why Jesus came. Love is why Christ went to the Cross on Calvary (John 3:16). Love is why!
Dear Father, thank you for your love. Grant that your love will be in us and motivate us to do all that we do. This I pray in the name of Jesus. AMEN
Be courageous today because of love,