HOLD ON! LOVE IS ON THE WAY!
I remember one lonely night, standing on my balcony - gazing at the stars. I was in my mid-20's, thinking that life was passing me by - wondering if it was truly possible to die from loneliness. With tears streaming down my face, I looked up at the night sky and asked the LORD, "Father, will I EVER find anyone that loves ME?" And at that moment, as if in a fairy tale, a huge falling star streaked across the blackness. I tried to hold onto that promise with both hands as a decade passed by and all circumstances seemed stacked against me. Then, on January 1, 2009, after I'd given up - a week to the day after I'd given up and said, "LORD, if you want me to be single forever, YOU are the love of my life" - Tommy walked into my life; and that sweet promise was fulfilled. And on Valentine's day, six weeks later, this scared-to-death 38-year-old held out her hand to be held by a boyfriend for the first time in her life. This morning, as that love still lays sleeping, I read again in God's Word about a promise of love to come and the years waiting in between and the ones who held on to that promise. From the first promise of a Redeemer in Genesis 3:15 to the glorious announcement to the lowly shepherds on the Bethlehem hillside that a Savior, Christ the LORD, had been born that day in the city of David (Luke 2:10-11), how many hundred's - even thousands- of years had passed? And still, they held on. Zacharias blessed the LORD God of Israel, "for He hath visited and redeemed His people" - "to perform the mercy PROMISED to our fathers, and to remember His Holy covenant". Covenant is such a beautiful word. Just saying it out loud gives strength to my faith that God will do what He says He will do. So, I will wait - just like Simeon who "waited for the consolation of Israel" and recognized Jesus for Who He was when he saw the 8-day-old baby being brought into the Temple. Because, just as He promised to come the 1st time - He promised to come the 2nd! He promised, "In My Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I WILL COME AGAIN, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also" (John 14:2-3). Oh what a glorious Promise! Whether my eyes close in death or I meet Him in the air, I will see Him - in all of His beauty - in all of His holiness - in all of His royalty - IN ALL OF HIS LOVE! "For now, we see through a glass, darkly; but THEN face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as I am known" (1 Cor. 13:12). Oh, Jesus, You were and are the best of all loves! Thank You for loving us and showing us what love TRULY is. "Greater love hath no man than this - that a man lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13). Happy Valentine's Day!
I remember one lonely night, standing on my balcony - gazing at the stars. I was in my mid-20's, thinking that life was passing me by - wondering if it was truly possible to die from loneliness. With tears streaming down my face, I looked up at the night sky and asked the LORD, "Father, will I EVER find anyone that loves ME?" And at that moment, as if in a fairy tale, a huge falling star streaked across the blackness. I tried to hold onto that promise with both hands as a decade passed by and all circumstances seemed stacked against me. Then, on January 1, 2009, after I'd given up - a week to the day after I'd given up and said, "LORD, if you want me to be single forever, YOU are the love of my life" - Tommy walked into my life; and that sweet promise was fulfilled. And on Valentine's day, six weeks later, this scared-to-death 38-year-old held out her hand to be held by a boyfriend for the first time in her life. This morning, as that love still lays sleeping, I read again in God's Word about a promise of love to come and the years waiting in between and the ones who held on to that promise. From the first promise of a Redeemer in Genesis 3:15 to the glorious announcement to the lowly shepherds on the Bethlehem hillside that a Savior, Christ the LORD, had been born that day in the city of David (Luke 2:10-11), how many hundred's - even thousands- of years had passed? And still, they held on. Zacharias blessed the LORD God of Israel, "for He hath visited and redeemed His people" - "to perform the mercy PROMISED to our fathers, and to remember His Holy covenant". Covenant is such a beautiful word. Just saying it out loud gives strength to my faith that God will do what He says He will do. So, I will wait - just like Simeon who "waited for the consolation of Israel" and recognized Jesus for Who He was when he saw the 8-day-old baby being brought into the Temple. Because, just as He promised to come the 1st time - He promised to come the 2nd! He promised, "In My Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I WILL COME AGAIN, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also" (John 14:2-3). Oh what a glorious Promise! Whether my eyes close in death or I meet Him in the air, I will see Him - in all of His beauty - in all of His holiness - in all of His royalty - IN ALL OF HIS LOVE! "For now, we see through a glass, darkly; but THEN face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as I am known" (1 Cor. 13:12). Oh, Jesus, You were and are the best of all loves! Thank You for loving us and showing us what love TRULY is. "Greater love hath no man than this - that a man lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13). Happy Valentine's Day!
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