Quiet morning at work

I love my quiet mornings at work with my coffee and random thoughts coming to mind.

What a man desires is unfailing love.

"I LOVE this dress!" I sqealed , "I just throw it in the washer and it comes out looking new!" I was trying to convinve my room mate just how necessary this garment had becme in my closet. I "love" it.

We use the word "love" so indiscriminately that often the true meaning of love gets lost. Or worn out from overuse. Everyone desires love and not just any love, but unfailing love. One of the lessons I learned when I became an adult was the realization that things wear out and need to be replaced. The first wedding I moved out of my parents house (yes the first... I moved back for 3 months) I remember receiving several sets of towels at my surprise party my home church threw for me. One wise older woman told me to tuck a set away to save for later. She was so right. After many washings and use in the dorm, they became my favorite rags. I needed to pull out another set because these failed to provide that warm-fuzzy you need when stepping out of the shower.

Is love like that? Does it just wear out or fall apart? I wondered.

For years, many things in my life fell apart. Moving schools every other year when I was young caused loving friendships to fall apart. Loving family relationships were also fractured by devastating events I might write about later. "Love" became a numb, meaningless word to me.

So my question became, "Where could unfailing love be found?" Does lasting love exist when everyone around me is falling in and out of what they call love? In 1 John 4:7 I found my answer, "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God." The Greek word for "beloved" is agapetos, which means "dearly loved." The very first thing this verse tells us is that we are dearly loved by God. The second piece tells us we can love one another because of God's love.

The only way we can fill that gaping hole that needs unfailing love is to fall into the arms of our Everlasting Father. When the Bible tells us, "God is love," it is saying that without Him, we can only create temporary, fragile and indiscriminate love.

Our abilities are limited, we are sons and daughters of the very God who IS love! He is the only one to turn to for unconditional, uncompromising, unfailing love. When we accept His love for us, then and only then, can we pour out true love onto others.

Lord, how can I comprehend the love You have for me? There is nothing on earth that even comes close to it! Teach me to accept Your love and then shower others with the grace and love You have given me.