Sunday, October 18, 2009

Love is Enough


"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. . ."--Mark 12:30 NIV

If I stepped to the Throne of Grace now, what would I say?

Would these words tumble from my lips?

"I said I would pray for my family and friends. I tried to remember, God, I did. I mumbled prayers between bites of my lunch and in the car, just before my kids starting arguing about what CD to play.

I promised I would donate to the cancer fund for my coworker. Better yet, I meant to visit her, take a meal, fold a load of laundry. But the kids--God--the kids. They were sick, I missed work, and by the time I returned the donation envelope was gone.

God, I meant to read Your Word more often. More than once a week. More than once a day. I meant to study and learn. But my husband wanted my attention in the evening. I owed him that--didn't I?"

I meant to do all those things and more. Instead, here is what I did today:

Today I loved You, Lord, with all my heart: the organ that pulses inside me, the engine that holds my life. Today with every beat I yearned for You with a passion that courses like life-blood through my veins. Today I looked into the faces of children and the October sunrise and glimpsed Your love. My heart quickened in response.

Today I loved you, Lord, with all my soul, the facet of me that, because You breathed it into being, will never die if I remain in You. The part of me that reaches for heaven even as my feet tread the earth. The part of me that flees to You in the morning, that meets the Spirit as I drift to sleep at night. For in my soul the Spirit resides, and His whispers resonate like wind chimes on an autumn breeze, bringing life even to pewter skies and chilly days.

Today I loved You, Lord, with all my mind. Today I considered Your world, and wondered how creatures detect daylight and nighttime, seasons of hibernation and migration. Today I meditated on the prophets, on the words of those long ago. Today I thought on Your precepts, guidance, laws, and goodness.

Today I loved You, Lord, with all my strength. I poured out, and out, and out at Your command. I am tired, Lord. Yet I continued. I wanted to take shortcuts, yet I picked up my cross and followed, one faltering footstep at a time."

That's what I would say to God. My words could never suffice. Like my intentions, they fall far short of the mark.

But love--love is enough. His gripping, encompassing, compelling love for me. My sincere, though fallible love for Him and His precious Son, who purchased my soul with His sacrifice. My human love is the best I can offer, and only then because He loved me first.

Thank You, Father, that love is eternal.

Thank You, Abba, that love is enough.


I'm giving away a devotional book titled "Breathing Grace" by Harry Kraus, M.D. If you'd like to enter the drawing to win, make sure you enter your email address in the comments. Thanks!

14 comments:

  1. Wow, Gwen, your words blew me away today. Thanks for opening your heart up to us as you gave it to Him with your words. It blessed me to stand alongside you and know we all feel so incapable of being even half the worshipper, lover, praiser of God that we want to be.

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  2. Absolutely lovely, Gwen. You brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for this beautiful reminder of Him.

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  3. What a lovely devotional, Gwen. I has refocused my perspective today. What a powerful reminder of God's love for me.

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  4. Great devotional. Thanks. God's love is great. Blessing
    tarenn98[at[yahoo[dot]com

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  5. Amazing, and awe-inspiring in every respect. Thanks for sharing, Gwen!
    Loree

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  6. Lovely, Gwen. You brought tears to my eyes and a new perspective to my heart.

    Connie

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  7. Those are beautiful and powerful words, Gwen, that nourished my spirit on a day I was too sick to attend church. I echo all the responses to your post thus far and wish you a peace-filled Sunday.

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  8. Thank you all for your kind remarks today. I so often struggle with what I cannot do, or intend to do and fail. Cetainly we need to strive to offer God our best. But Jesus made it clear that God most wants our undivided adoration and love--love that extends to Him first, then our neighbors.

    I pray you all have a healthy, blessed week. Jill, prayers for quick healing coming your way! :)

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  9. Lynn,
    Touched a chord in me that began humming in church. A member of our praise team wrote a beautiful song based on Psalm 100.

    "Enjoy Him. Enjoy Him. For He is good, and His love endures forever."

    Blessings,
    patti

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  10. Gwen, I just wanted to let you know that even though I commented yesterday, I re-read your post again this morning because it touched me so deeply.

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  11. That was beautiful.
    gasweetheart211[at]netscape[dot]net

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  12. I really needed to read this today and it really blessed me. Have been in a very depressed mood all day due to argument with son first thing in the morning and needed this to uplift me.

    Blessings,
    Jo
    ladijo40(at)aol)dot)com

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  13. Aw Gwen, I'm inspired every time I hear you talk about God. Something special comes through in your writing. It makes me feel small and insignificant yet I know that I'm so important in His eyes. I just have to do my part and give Him more of my time. It's not that much to ask, eh.

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