Perfect Love's Power and Strength

 

There is no fear in love. Perfect love casts out fear.  1 John 4:18

I took in a meal for an elderly man who just lost his wife of 62 years.  I decided to make chili soup.  As I was telling a group of ladies what I was taking, one informed me that is something he really enjoys along with potato salad.  I responded with, "Oh, I could make that, too."

The conversation continued with another lady telling me that he is kinda the guru of potato salad and that he really enjoys making it.  For a moment I paused, wondering if I should attempt to make it and grace his meal with that item.

I decided on the menu - chili soup and yes, potato salad.

Several days later my husband was told by a family member that I was brave to take him potato salad since he is picky and the king of potato salad with his opinions and enjoyment of making it.  By the way he said I passed the test. (Whew!)

The test.  I didn't know what I was up against.  I didn't know I would be 'scored'.  I didn't know about any expectations to that extent.  Therefore I knew not fear of disappointing.  I didn't realize there was such a high expectation or standard.

And because I did not fear, I gave.  I took the time to make potato salad and offer it to him to enjoy.

The thought became loud and clear - what we can do when we don't fear.

I've been pondering this quite heavily and realizing that when fear is not present we give and offer in ways that are alive.  When fear doesn't chain us to the ground we fly with the freedom of offering what we have to someone.

I realized that to put forth effort to not fear was not going to work in any way or accomplish this freedom in giving.  When some expectation is set before me, trepidation fills my heart.  When I realize that I could let someone down, I want to shrink back from giving.  When a bar is set, I want to soar over it - but - what if I don't?

I realized anew how much people's thoughts and opinions were holding me back.  Holding me back from offering, from engaging with people, and giving because of standards spoken or unspoken.  Standards placed upon me by others and even myself would send me running or paralyzing me with its demand.

The way is through, not around or avoiding.  

What lies beneath fear?  Fear is the tip of the iceberg that we see.  Underneath the face of fear lies a conundrum of many things - fear of missing out, fear of rejection, fear of disappointing those around me, fear of being alone.  You fill in the blank.  When I pay attention to what lies beneath fear and match it with God's words and what He says is truth, fear loses its grip.  In the presence of God and his truth, fear fades away.  Just as the dawn causes the darkness to recede and fade into glorious light, so is God's love as it penetrates our hearts and the lies that we believe, causing the darkness of fear to fade into a glorious light within our hearts.

I realized again that it is only in knowing Love that fear loses its power.  I realized that to combat fear I must know perfect love.  Perfect love is only found in Jesus.  It is who He is.

So.  Sitting at the feet of Jesus is a place I must go.  Jesus tells us in Matthew 11:28 to come to Him and learn of Him and He will give us rest in our souls.  Peace. Settled.  Strength. Confidence.

So I sat with Jesus.  I confessed the idolatry of valuing people's opinions so highly that it keeps me from truly living.  A friend spoke words of turning to Jesus and allowing His face to shine over me.  I must turn away from the thing that causes my heart to quiver and shake in fear, to look at the One whose gaze shines over me.  So, I asked Jesus to tell me what He thinks and the value He places on me.

In turning towards God, we experience God's mysterious way and in ways that only He can do, fear begins to fade away.  In its place a confidence builds.  Confidence to face fear and put it in perspective and in its proper place.  Trading fear for "Be strong, take courage."  Fear of failure finds confidence of the redemption of Jesus.  Worth and validation knows a security that God sees, we are inscribed in the palm of His hand. Isaiah 49:16.  

You see, when you and I know Whose we are, the circumstances and people around us no longer define us.  When God's love grips our hearts, fear loses.  Fear loses its grip in the presence of Perfect Love.

It is a mystery.  Perfect love truly does cast out fear.  

Now, my friend, it just may be your turn to sit with Jesus and gaze in His face.  You may need to learn more of God's love and joyfully and with awe discover that fear has no place in that presence.  In God's miraculous way the very thing that grips your heart in the bondage of fear can lose its grip as you learn more of God's truth.

When we don't fear, we give of ourselves freely and wholly. 

Oh Jesus, 

May we know Your love in deeper ways.  May we sit with You to know the joy of Your shining face on us.  There are so many expectations that can cause us to fear missing the mark and disappointing people.  As we know Your love may we realize the idolatry of putting other's opinions as our gauge of value.  Oh, Lord Jesus, You have loved us before we ever loved You.  

Fill me with Your love, deep in my broken crevices, in the places where I ache, I desire to know You.  For I realize that when I know who I am in You that's all that truly matters.  You define my worth and value.

Thank You, 

Your daughter

Fly my friend. Allow God's love to be the current of wind that allows you to soar to new heights on eagle's wings.  Let God's love be the current in your heartbeat that keeps you living.   Allow yourself to be held in the embrace of God's everlasting arms. 

Because of His love we can live in the abundance of living.

Because of His love fear slips away and in its wake we discover the awe of the freedom of living.

Because of His love we can know our truest worth and value.

The Love of a Father

Knowing love begins with humanity. The hands that holds an infant. The tender care as baths are given and food supplied. 

The love of a father and mother is the way God intended and created man and woman to provide as they replenish the earth.

But brokenness happened as man and woman reached for the fruit. The tempter enticing woman to reach, not to destroy man, but to destroy God's breath of life within them and us. Satan wants nothing more than to get at God and he did by enticing the creation of God. 

Life was perfect. Love was pure.

Until.

Satan came and enticed the created beings that held the very life-breath of God.

Man, fathers, women, mothers, now offer a love that never completely satisfies and sometimes is very distorted and corrupt.

God is a Father whose love is still pure, wholly and completely pure.  He is faithful in His love and nothing you or I will do, will ever change that.  He gives it freely.

My own father's love was not wholly divine.  His own story tainted it.  But he loved.  He gave, and  to my family as we lived a number of hours away, he'd make sure they would come and visit and when he left, he hid candy among the curtains, on a ledge, behind an object and so on.

Before he left, he would inform our sons how many pieces were hid and as they drove away, feet would run and the search began.

Treasures. Candy. Sweet.  Gifts from his heart to ours.

God gives us treasures that we can search for, hidden among the 'curtains', on the ledges of life, up high in the air, or under the rocks of hard and pain.  God's love is scattered all around us... let's go on a search.

To earthly fathers ---

A father's love looks like a dependence on God as he leads his family, pointing us to Jesus when life is hard and doesn't make sense and even when it does make sense, reminding us who Jesus is.

A father's love is the strength he gives and the steadiness when the winds of life hit.

A father's love is the tender touch, the stooping down to help in a moment of need.

A father's strength is sometimes embodied in the tenderness of tears, the stroke of comfort, and the understanding of a story.

And sometimes, a father's love, is the warrior, fighting for truth and wielding the sword, which is the word of God as he combats the enemy of our soul.

You're meant to lead and be strong , but your strength is for the protection and benefit of those you love.  It's not to coerce or to dominate, but to be a gentle strong.  And in so many ways you're taught that gentleness is not manly.  Let me tell you, that is not so.  Sometimes your strength is actually the most kindest and gentlest of actions

Jesus stooped to heal, to speak words to the lame, to write words in the sand.  Sometimes Jesus' strength was the words on a hillside, the walking on water.  And most of all, it was the strength to give His life as looked to His Father and surrendered to the ultimate plan.

I'm grateful for the father I had who learned more of who Jesus is and to my husband who has the courage to stay with Jesus and lean into Him.  And to my sons, may you learn more of Jesus and choose Him as you learn to be a gentle strong man.

Treasures.  Gifts.  From the Father above for each of us as we live and walk this one life we have.

Thank you, Jesus, for Your perfect and complete love, given freely and for each one of us.

Most of all fathers, God has got you, lean into Him as you live and lead in your world.

Lord, 

Invite the men to Yourself.  For in You, the men will have courage to rise up as needed.  May they have the strength to lean into You when they feel less than and for the wisdom they need.  May they recognize the enemy whispering to them that they are not enough and help them to fight against that because in You, they will receive their strength.  Toughness is the enemy's tactic, for we fight when we are tough and want to protect.  May the men have courage to be a vulnerable strong.  Lead them, meet them and yes, woo them to Yourself, for in You they will have everything they need.

                                                                                         Thank you,

                                                                                     Your daughter, who fights for life