We see many examples of sacrificial love from unselfish
people. Men and women have died defending others. Parents have given up
comforts, financial security, and their lives for their children.
But this human devotion still is not the perfect love 1 John 4:18 speaks of. Because no matter how much a person does for another one, that love can’t cast out fear.
The Bible was written in Hebrew and Greek, languages more
precise than the English most of us are familiar with. Scripture uses a variety
of words to indicate different relationships, whereas we throw around several
uses of love, sometimes flippantly, and the word loses the impact we intend.
We love chocolate.
We love our spouse.
We love our dog.
We love our car.
We love a certain book or movie.
We love God.
We use this same word to indicate a variety of emotions and attachments. We don’t (or shouldn’t!) love chocolate with the same feelings we have for our spouse.
This week we are privileged to hear from Lori Hatcher as she shares an excerpt from her recent book, Refresh Your Hope, 60 Devotions for Trusting God With All Your Heart. The link to this book is at the end of the post and I know you will be blessed by ordering and reading this amazing devotional. Here's Lori:
God of Wisdom
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives
generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
James
1:5
I suspect if someone asked, “Who’d
like to be mature and complete in your faith,” most of us would wave our hands
wildly and yell, “I do! I do!”
But when we discover the route to maturity winds through the wilderness of trial? “Uh, no. Never mind. Maturity’s overrated.”
