Get Enough Loving
By Jean A Sturgill | June 18, 2009
“I’m not getting enough loving,” said a man to me recently.
“You have to give if you want to get,” I replied.
The look on his face made me think I hit the nail on the head!
Love is an action! I am not talking about the feeling love. That would be focusing on us. I am talking about us focusing on our spouse. It’s not about us; it’s about them!
Love is not giving our spouse the last half of a box of chocolates that we should not be eating anyway because we are on a diet! Love is not tossing the remote begrudgingly to our spouse as we are on our way out of the room and saying, “Go ahead! Watch what you want!”
Love is sacrificial and beneficial. It is sacrificial on our part and beneficial to our spouse. It would look more like skipping our favorite TV show to go do something with our spouse that they want to do. The focus would be on them.
Three examples of sacrificial and beneficial love would be as follows:
- I stopped to talk to a small boy and his mother in the post office one day. After they went out of site, I opened my post office box to get my mail. 2 small hands appeared pressing a sticker on my shirt. I looked into the eyes of the small child who had returned. I asked him if he were sure, and he nodded. He sacrificed his sticker for me. I knew he probably did not have another just like that one. He made me feel special.
- Our military and their families sacrifice when the go to boot camp and when they go overseas. They fight and sometimes die for us. They sacrifice so we can be free. We do not, for the most part, have to be afraid of bullets flying by when we walk out our front door.
- God gave his son, Jesus, that whosoever believeth would have eternal life.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:16
When loving your spouse, follow the Master’s example. Do something sacrificial and beneficial!
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Encouragement From the Lord
By Jean A Sturgill | May 6, 2009
My heart has been heavy for the struggles of family and friends. I lifted a family member up in prayer this morning without really knowing what to pray. For about 3 hours, he was more on my mind than anything else.
Intercessory prayer is important even when you do not know what to pray.
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
-Romans 8:26-27
For as much as I was praying for him, I really needed encouragement myself.
I went out to the van looking for my earphone. When I got to the passenger side, I saw sitting on the door handle a small white bloom. Amazing! Our azaleas are growing beside the driveway on the opposite side of the house. Most of the blooms are spent, and it poured down rain last night. The only bloom any where near the van was sitting there, on the door handle, right where I would find it. Like a big hug from God, I felt it was there for me. I felt encouraged.
How is God encouraging you today?
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