The aha moment of discovery that we are loved and that we can love

Each of us needs to know that we are loved. Each of us deserves to be loved. Each of us desires to be instruments of love. Each of us wants to be loving … or at least that is my assumption.

This week’s devotional meditations all deal with the instructions to love one another as God has loved us. The aha moment came shortly after my father passed away and my only living brother sat at our table revealing how he and my other brother would discuss their concern for me. You see, what I was trying to deal with was that my mother was a verbal abuser and my dad was a physical abuser. Since I was strong of will and a little more that mouthy I figured I disserved what I was getting. My brother was quick to remind me that maybe there were moments here and there that punishment should have been experienced, but what I was receiving from my parents was more than anyone, regardless how strong willed or mouthy they might be, should be exposed to.

Essentially I grew up thinking that I wasn’t worthy of love. Maybe that is why I ended up becoming a minister because it was in and through the church that I gained some self-worth … it was through the people at church that I was accepted for who I was … it was the people of God that affirmed me … it was within the body of Christ that I discovered what it meant to be home. Thank you church!

So now, with my Master of Divinity degree in hand and my ordination orders hanging on the wall, I stood to proclaim the reality of love and acceptance while still dealing with the ghosts of events past and of the other things that go “bump-in-the-night” when you don’t expect it. I shared the testimony of a saving Savior, an accepting Lord and an approving Father. The aha moment was when I came to realize that one of the major reasons for Jesus Christ is so that we would come to accept the reality of being loved for it is only when we are accepted and affirmed that we are enabled to turn outward to love and accept love.

We are love because we have been loved! … Aha!

This week’s meditations, writings and biblical lessons hit as close to home as anything previously. Within the writings is this prayer authored by Kenneth G. Philer in his book, “A Book of Uncommon Prayer.”

Almighty God, I know so little of what love in its fullness can be. My love is marred by jealously, scarred by envy, limited by selfishness. I withhold love at the slightest provocation, and withdraw myself from involvement with others for fear of being hurt.

Still, I know something of what love can be like. I can remember being forgiven generously and freely by someone I had wronged. I can remember being comforted and cared for when, bruised and battered, I crept home. I can remember being made strong by the realization that someone cared. I am grateful for such experiences, for they tell me what love is about. And if the Lord Jesus be right, to know what love is like is to know what you are like.

If we humans can manifest unselfishness and concern, is it not because such experiences are of the very nature of that which is most important? For out of the heart of the Lord Jesus came the evidences of his love for all kinds of people and his refusal to give up on any of us. I am grateful for that love and for that refusal, for in him I have hope. I can even hope that I may catch more of his Spirit in my life. Will you help me to be more outgoing, less sensitive to slights, and more alert to the feelings of others? Will you help me to be less quick to judge and less righteous in my indignation? Will you help me to be more open to life and to other people? Will you give me confidence enough to be less defensive and less ready to react to rebuffs? Give me steadiness and firmness and true commitment to the life of faith. Amen.

Healing comes in little things and with grand sweeping things. Healing comes when we least expect it and when we have worked our fingers to the bone to achieve it. Healing comes through many channels by the graciousness of knowing and unknowing individuals. Healing stands at the threshold of our hearts to bring peace and fulfillment to our souls. Healing comes and we go, “Aha!” and discover God’s love through Jesus Christ … that we are loved unconditionally. Healing comes when we can turn outward to love others … unconditionally.

Quote for today: It is natural to love them that love us, but it is supernatural to love them that hate us. ~Source Unknown.