How Do We Know How To Love?
I was seventeen and suddenly in love with a red-headed boy. The year was 1984.
That spring, I was working part-time for Shirley, setting up displays for her shows.
Life was good, but little did I know it was about to become so much…BETTER.
Months before, mom seemed as surprised as we were that she was expecting, and thank You God, these thoughts of “flu” brought a beautiful life of fun, laughter, and love.
I remember the sun-shiny day so well. Shirley had picked me up early, a “double-show day.” I just loved how I went home with double the money as most Saturdays.
Mom had not felt well all morning, and so, when I left home, mom knew it would be soon (this baby was number five to come to our home, and who knew how this little one could change me in such a profound way).
Ultrasounds were not a thing in the 80s (unless there was a problem), so “Carol Jean” (as mom sometimes called the baby) was a grand surprise when we drove downtown. I asked Shirley to stop by a pay phone so I could call home. We spotted a phone on the corner by the public library. When the call went through, mom answered and said, “We are heading to the hospital. It won’t be long.”
Before March 3rd, I had played with and held many babies, but never had I ever experienced the profound love only God could provide.
Curtis felt like mine from the moment dad and mom returned home from the hospital a few days later.
As I said earlier, I was seventeen and suddenly in love with a red-headed beautiful (Baby) boy!!
The Bible reminds us over and over and over and over how much God loves us, and I now know this love intimately. Truly, there is no way we could receive God’s love second-hand. If mom and dad had taught me about the love of God day-after-day, continually sharing about this love, still I would have only known—“ABOUT”—the love of God. I had to know and accept the truth of God’s love, believe it for myself, and confess to God myself, accepting Him as my Savior—THEN I knew the profound love of God.
Before we KNOW GOD, we only know “about” God. Our Savior’s love is personal, intimate, one-to-one, and most exhilarating; therefore, once we KNOW GOD as our personal Savior, suddenly we know HOW to Love Others!!!
- God loves you unconditionally.
- God loves me unconditionally.
- God loves the strangers we will pass today….unconditionally.
- God loves the most hardened criminal….unconditionally.
- God loves each person personally, intimately, and profoundly….unconditionally!
Truly, God’s love is exhilarating, and NEVER would I desire to live separated from the intimate relationship God shares with me. Our love affair began when I was fifteen, and since that moment, NOTHING HAS EVER BEEN SO WONDERFULLY BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!
So, before the passing of the 3 o’clock hour ended, on that crisp March 3rd afternoon, it was so apparent this was Curtis’ birth—day & the day God taught me How to Love Others as myself.
The day Curtis breathed his first gulps of air outside the womb, I knew love for this beautiful red-head only BECAUSE I First Knew God’s Love. Two years earlier, when I was fifteen, God became my Savior.
Truly, apart from God, we go through the motions of living: we breathe, work, study, play, live, and like others just fine. We enjoy our favorite people, those we want to be around more than others. Then we personally meet JESUS—Suddenly—We know LOVE—Only because God first loved us.
Pure Peace.
Pure Serenity.
Pure Joy.
Pure Security.
Pure Love.
God loves us so much, too much to leave us even as we are…..lost and separated from Him.
God sent Jesus to the world, to us, to redeem us, to bring us to God, to save us.
Almighty God, the Creator of Everything…..Sent Jesus for each one of us!!!!!!
We are so much more than our family heritage, our educational degrees, our careers, and our earthly lives. The Bible speaks of Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived. Solomon scribes these words to describe God: “Every word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him” (Proverbs 30: 5).
Fast forward from 1984 to 2019. See Grandma Hall upon her hospital bed inside the care center. The hour was early (a little past the 3 am hour), and it was so apparent––This was to be grandma’s going home day.
Grandma Hall was a Believer, a child of God, a child of the King of Kings. Was it a coincidence that Grandma’s going home to heaven day just happened to also be Curtis’ coming into this world day? No. These miracles were God’s to give and ours to see.
- May we fall in love with God….More today than yesterday.
- May we share with others the love of God….More today than yesterday.
- May we worship and praise our Father God for His love….More today than yesterday.
- More Than Ever….May We Love God, showing love toward others as Jesus taught us.
Thank You God for Your shield.
(Proverbs 30:5)
Thank You God for the refuge You provide.
Thank You God for every word from Your Holy Word.
Thank You God for Your Truth—-
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
(John 1: 1-5)
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.
The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”
May we fully comprehend the love of God on this day as we look to JESUS, Seeing How to Love.