Gods Love, True love

 February – especially one, particular day in February -- is a time to celebrate love.

Valentine’s Day brings in top sales for grocery stores, and they plan well in advance for it. Yes, I partake in the joy of giving my husband and children cards and a box of chocolates. And I always love to get a dozen roses to display on our kitchen table. What woman doesn’t?

All of this is nice and fun, but it only scratches the surface of real love. I have had the honor to be married to a wonderful guy for almost 20 years, and we are raising three busy children -- including a pre-teen. My husband works long hours at a demanding job and I work full-time along with being a taxi for the kids, helping with homework, shuttling them to sports and all the other things that mommies do.

Life gets busy and love gets pushed down to those moments we pass each other with a quick kiss and “I love you.”

When I step back and look at our life, I realize how blessed I am that we have a foundation to stand strong upon, one of true love: Gods love. Many couples lose sight of each other during these challenging times of raising children and struggling with pressures to maintain job security.  It’s hard times for so many families, and my heart aches for them.

 Jeremiah 29:11-12 tells us For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to give you  hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me and I will listen to you.” (NIV)

I take this promise in the Bible to heart. During challenging times, I know who’s got my back. Can I hear an “Amen,” ladies?!

I find my true foundation in God’s love in the book of Titus (3:4-5): But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit Wow! I sit back in awe of God’s grace and mercy, knowing all too well that I don’t always deserve it.
 

I have to work hard at times to remind myself in the heat of the moment to extend mercy and grace to others through love, even when I feel frustrated. This can be a daily challenge with a pre-teen.  Christ loves us and gives us the strength we need during those times. Remembering how God loves us and helps us reminds us how to love those we care about the most -- all the time, not just one day of the year.

Ask yourself;

Do I find myself loving my spouse and children with grace?

Do I extend mercy to my family?

The New Testament word that is usually translated "grace" is the Greek charis (χαρις), which literally means "that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness."

Mercy, Wikipedia tells us, is a word used to describe compassion shown by one person to another.

Today's prayer-

Dear Lord,
We come before you with hearts full of gratitude for the grace and mercy you give us every moment of every day. Please show us how to be mothers and wives that extend your ever-loving compassion to our families with the same grace and mercy you have been so faithful to give us. You know the challenges we face today, and Lord we lay them at your feet, knowing that nothing is too great for you to handle.

In Christ,
Amen