Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Thoughts on Love

I was flipping through a book of short devotionals for moms (Matt thinks it's hilarious that I keep this in the bathroom--but hey, that is where I do some good reading, semi-uninterrupted. Too much information?) when I came upon a concise but wonderful quote from Elisabeth Elliot.

"Love always means sacrifice."

Isn't that great? It challenges my worldly ideas of love as a feeling, and really gives it 'legs', so to speak. Love equals sacrifice.

It is a sacrifice of love to

...answer the twenty-first question from your two-year-old without screaming.

...fold yet another load of clothes and wash another dish without feeling sorry for yourself.

...choose to do what someone else enjoys with them, even when it isn't your favorite thing.

...give money and time to minister to hurting people outside your family (or, inside, for that matter).

...get up early enough to spend time with the Lord even when you are exhausted and would much rather stay in your warm bed.

...love your husband (or wife) when he is acting un-lovable.

...joyfully begin another day of homeschooling when you'd much rather spend the day alone, getting your nails done or shopping.

So, this is what I am going to focus on today. Loving and expecting sacrifice, instead of resenting its demands.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

LOVING LORD AND HEAVENLY FATHER,I OFFER UP TODAY ALL THAT I AM, ALL THAT I HAVE, ALL THAT I DO, AND ALL THAT I SUFFER, TO BE YOURS TODAY AND YOURS FOREVER. GIVE ME GRACE, LORD, TO DO ALL THAT I KNOW OF Your HOLY WILL. PURIFY MY HEART, SANCTIFY MY THINKING, CORRECT MY DESIRES. TEACH ME, IN ALL OF TODAY'S WORK AND TROUBLE AND JOY, TO RESPOND WITH HONEST PRAISE, SIMPLE TRUST, AND INSTANT OBEDIENCE, THAT MY LIFE MAY BE IN TRUTH A LIVING SACRIFICE, BY THE POWER OF YOUR HOLY SPIRIT AND IN THE NAME OF YOUR SON, JESUS CHRIST, MY MASTER AND MY ALL. AMEN.
Elizabeth Elliot