Friday, July 18, 2008

Agape Love

I've spent the week studying Agape love. Love that acts and isn't just an emotion. Love motivated by need of the loved rather than my desire or the desire of others.....and that seeks the highest and best for that person. Love that sacrifices. Love that is demonstrated. Paul defines Agape for us well in I Cor 13. We can't Agape on our own. It's only as we surrender to the empowerment and temperment of the Holy Spirit that God's Agape flows from us to others. It's tough to love this way. Tough.

I've spent my tryst times all week on this word. Would you believe today I had a couple of chances to put it all into practice?

Someone who hurt me zipped into my life for a minute (technology is great LOL). I instantly tensed....I began to rehearse the past wrongs...and then I decided to let it go. Love doesn't keep an account of wrongs. I believe boundaries can remain, but I can authentically agape this sister in Christ.

This next is cool. We have a fellow chaplain with which we've kept in touch. Sporadically. Basically whenever one of us thinks "it's time". Well, for the past week I've been thinking "get in touch with Karen". I've not heard from her since Christmas. I couldn't find the email address. I've had her on the to do list all week....I began praying mightily for her last week.

I got an email from her today. Evidently, she assumed we'd been getting other emails. They are moving (which IS a surprise) to ENGLAND (which means we won't be) but the truck their things were in caught FIRE. All their belongings....a nightmare really. Karen shared meeting her dh at the truck and looking things over. They won't really see all the damage until it all arrives in England. I believe the company is salvaging what they can to repack and send on. THEN she shared her son (13/14) has an eye infection that has turned very serious. He may lose his cornea....please pray for Andrew. Specifically pray that the infection doesn't bore a hole in his cornea....I thought it so cool that God had laid her on my heart and that I now know WHY I was burdened to pray. I thought they were frozen in NM for another year. I hadn't a clue.

The thing is, and I blush to share this, I was jealous that they got orders when we were told all are frozen AND they got our dreamsheet orders. Isn't that ugly? Ugh. Immediately, I was taken back to this a.m. "Agape is not envious". Father, forgive me!!! How could I?

Don't you love how the Word convicts? I love it when He asks me to do something I can't do on my own - something as simple as love my friends can trip me up. He calls me to love my enemies. The only way it will happen is as I walk close beside Him and allow that Agape to flow through me to others.

Please do pray for Karen and her family. It appears that she will be staying with Andrew until they resolve his eye issues. Bryan and the other kids will be on their way to England. Thaks for your prayers for Ellie - she was here today and looked well.

©2008 D.R.G.