Life, Love, and Chocolate
READ: 1 John 3:16-23
Be imitators of God . . . . And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us. —Ephesians 5:1-2
An entry I read on a favorite blog caught my eye. It was the morning of his ninth wedding anniversary. Not having a lot of money, the writer ran out to get his wife, Heidi, their favorite French pastry—pain au chocolat. After sprinting several miles, he arrived home, exhausted, to find her in the kitchen just pulling a chocolate-filled croissant out of the oven. It was pain au chocolat.
That husband, Jeff, compared his life with Heidi to the lives of the people in O. Henry’s short story “Gift of the Magi.” It tells of a man who sold his lone possession of value—a pocket watch—to buy hair combs for his wife, who had sold her long, beautiful hair to buy a gold chain for his watch.
Having no money concerns would be great—but realizing the immeasurable value of the people we care about is more important. We sometimes need a reminder that acquiring “things” is not nearly as important as appreciating the people God has placed in our lives. When we practice putting others’ interests before our own (Phil. 2:3-4), we learn what it means to love, serve, and sacrifice. In fact, that’s how we pattern Christ in our relationships (Eph. 5:1-2).
Life, love, and chocolate taste better when shared with others. — Cindy Hess Kasper
I want to share with those I love
The highest joy I’m thinking of,
Not just what brightens all their days
But what will give God highest praise. —Hess
Love is never afraid of giving too much.
http://www.rbc.org/odb/odb.shtml
Be imitators of God . . . . And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us. —Ephesians 5:1-2
I really like this verse because all of us should walk in love each day for the love of people. We should be Christ Center but it is hard of enough to deal with all the stuff we deal with each day like traffic, deadlines at work, kids, school, jobs, and being tired of life.
I caught myself one night at church service and looking at everyone in fellowship. I did not know anyone accept a person who was in a wheel chair. Fear started to take over my mind because I did not want speak with this one fellow. I walked over fellow in the wheelchair, I asked him if he knew who I was, and he nodded by saying, “no.” I told him that I had prayed for him one night at another church and then he looked at me with surprise by saying, “Hi.” I spoke with him for a few minutes and I went one to speak to other person.
As I look back from meeting this fellow, I think to myself how the Lord revealed to me when I prayed for this fellow in April that he loves him so much. I was in tears when I prayed for him. The Lord loves us so much that he is in tears for us. Are we in love with Lord? Are we in love with his people and those who are lost in their life? Have you cried recently for the Love of his people? Isleen
