Love Letters

Love is typically written in words reserved for just a few. This exclusivity does create an understanding of depth, but perfect love* is as deep as love goes.

As believers, we must foster relationships as we are led. Are some words to be shared with but a few for His purpose? Sure. Are some words too difficult for some to hear? Yes. Would the Lord allow us to draw back and show less love? Of course.

But we are not to have less love, but rather we are to carry the full weight of it in our heart. We make too much allowance for the distribution of partial love, which often can look like “love for me”, a fishing lure to catch what I can for my own edification and purpose. Can God still use this? Absolutely.

Let me encourage you. Love is the economy of heaven and its value is eternal. Use deliberate words to edify and encourage those you are grateful to love. Use intimate words to reveal the intricate facet of love you are revealing. Be overtly generous, offering without reserve, the intent of your understanding of whom you love. See the eternal value revealed as you call it out.

God is generous to share with us in this exchange the joy of it, where He gets the Glory but we share in the experience. The words that fill our hearts or the touch that confirms. Even the kiss that breaks down our resistance leaves us ready to receive and release more. All by design.

Know also that when you give without receiving, you should not be discouraged. It may simply mean that you have not poured enough in to see the overflow. So many people are running on low.

Start where you are. Write love letters to everyone.

*from 1Co 13:1-10
If I speak in the tongues of humans and angels but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can understand all secrets and every form of knowledge, and if I have absolute faith so as to move mountains but have not love, I am nothing. Even if I give away all that I have and surrender my body so that I may boast, but have no love, I am nothing. Love is always patient, Love is always kind, Love is never envious or vaunted up with pride. She is not conceited, and never is she rude, never does she think of self or ever get annoyed. She never is resentful, is never glad with sin, but always glad to side with truth, whenever the truth should win. She bears up under everything, Believes the best in all, there is no limit to her hope, and never will she fall. Love never fails. Now if there are prophecies, they will be done away with. If there are tongues, they will cease. If there is knowledge, it will be done away with. For what we know is incomplete and what we prophesy is incomplete. But when what is complete comes, then what is incomplete will be done away with.

Extended

When you are swallowing hard to hold down your heart, what is the thought process to relieve the pain?

Have I been forgotten? Did I invest too much? Why did I extend so far? Now falling, who will catch me? Nobody.

I have not yet learned how to retreat fast enough. So now, laid open, I scheme for relief. The obvious path; I have to toughen up, harden what has taken so long to make supple.

Start again? This notion hurts even deeper. 

Read the following. John knew that Jesus was "the One", but circumstances indicated that unless Jesus showed up, he would die. And he did.

Luke 7:18-28  

John's disciples told him about all these things. So John called two of his disciples and sent them to the Lord to ask, "Are you the Coming One, or should we wait for someone else?" When the men had come to him, they said, "John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, 'Are you the Coming One, or should we wait for someone else?'" At that time Jesus had healed many people of diseases, plagues, and evil spirits and had given sight to many who were blind. So he answered them, "Go and tell John what you have observed and heard: the blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear again, the dead are raised, and the destitute hear the good news. How blessed is anyone who is not offended by me!" When John's messengers had gone, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John. "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? Really, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fancy clothes? See, those who wear fine clothes and live in luxury are in royal palaces. Really, what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and even more than a prophet! This is the man about whom it is written, 'See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.' I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John. Yet even the least important person in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he."