Nov 7, 2009

Loving Well - by Beth Moore - Week 1

For those of you who were not at the Loving Well Woman's Retreat, at Westgate AG, I encourage you to try to find a church that is going through the Loving Well Study, either as a retreat or as a bible study.  You will be so blessed and learn so much from this great teaching.  However, I believe that walking through the Loving Well Journal with us, will bless you, even if you have not gone through the study.

That said, let us get started on this amazing and powerful journey and let God's love work in our hearts and lives like never before.

Beth Moore starts out asking us some pretty pointed questions, and I must say that it was tough to make myself look deep within and face the truth.  As much as I would love to say that I am perfect, being the perfectionist that I am, I cannot say that about my relationships and the way I am loving others.  This first week of reflection and study has made me take a hard look and see that I really do need to let go of quite a few things in my life and let God take care of them.  I have learned over the past few years and especially the last few days that the only way I will be able to love like Jesus commanded us, is to ask God to fill me with his love and heal the wounded and broken parts of my heart, so that my heart becomes a well of love springing forth and flowing out to touch other peoples hearts and lives around me.

I had a thought come to me late last night as I lay in bed trying to sleep. It was as if the lord were showing me how there are different ways people handle his gift of love.

Picture a beautiful package being delivered to the front door, and the person inside looks at it and says “I don't know anyone who would send that to me, so either it is a horrible joke or you have the wrong address.” Then they slam the door closed and they refuse to open it again. No matter how desperately the delivery man tries to deliver his package they are not willing to allow it in. Then there are people who when they open the door and see the beautiful package, are so in awe of the wrapping and packaging that they bring it carefully into the house and set it in a spot of honor on the mantle or on a display case. But they never unwrap the gift to see what is inside or to allow the actual gift to bless them. They miss out on the gift because they don't want to disturb the beautiful packaging. The last set of people are the ones who willingly accept the gift, and before they even start to close the door they begin to to tear off the beautiful wrapping, cut all of the strings, bows and ties, and open the box wide. Then when they see the gift of His love, they can't help but to pour the gift out over their head and bask in it, letting it flow over their body and work it's way to the deepest parts of their heart and soul. 
Which person are you? God wants us to not only accept the gift but to allow the gift to work in our hearts and live so that we become a fountain of his love. 

Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us.
Romans 5:4-6