Dusting in the Bowl

So, the last post was about The Love that's worth and worthy of obeying. Today, I woke up ten days into what has felt like the longest year in a long time. My faith, obedience, and love have been tested by some pretty unique and particularly hurtful circumstances. And I wouldn't trade for anything.

"I shall run the way of Your commandments, 

for You will enlarge my heart." Psalm 119:32 

The Lord first showed me this verse a couple years ago, and it has been wearing me out ever since. Some of you may have even heard me talk about it, as I poked at this alien promise to see if it's good for food and pleasing to the eyes.

People, it is B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L and F-U-L-L and T-R-U-T-H-F-U-L.

It also costs. Running isn't walking. And I'm not medically qualified to talk about organs growing.

But the return on these investments has a replenishing interest that is enough to live on; because true, healthy, biblical love can be tested and survive every accusation, every flame.

When it comes to practical obedience in hard circumstances, the warm-fuzzy, feel-good passage of 1 Corinthians 13 looks a lot less like an altar anecdote and a lot more like bowling alley bumpers keeping you from the gutter, and at least moving in the right direction. But that's OK, because it's more fitting to the context of the letter anyways.

Even still, why do it when it's that painful, when a whole grocery aisle of emotions and reactions would be understandable, explainable, and defendable even?

"Jesus answered and said to him, 

'If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. He who does not love me does not keep My words'" John 14:23-34a

I had no foresight into the pains it would bring when I prayed last year for Jesus to start teaching me what it really looks like to abide in Him.

And I'll be honest: last night that meant sleeping with the light on, in a jumbled mess of blanket and sore throat and thought Connections desperate for an old-fashioned switchboard to plug things into instead of this wireless world.

But even in ^that^ there is victory.

Because, in His goodness, He has kept me from abandoning His word to us: "For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even tax collectors do the same?" Matthew 5:46 and He will continue to do so. 

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P.S. A good friend introduced me to the band Everfound last year; and it has been sweet to listen to their Christmas release on both sides of the New Year. For those of you who are intolerant to cheese, I understand. But for those who can partake: enjoy.