Finding Love in the Fast Lane - Encouragement Café - February 15, 2016

Finding Love In The Fast Lane, You Are Precious To Him

Café Menu for Monday, February 15, 2016

Today’s Special is:  You Are Precious To Him

Carefully prepared just for you by your friend, Robin Jones

Main Ingredient:

Since you are precious and honored in my sight,  and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you,  nations in exchange for your life.

 Isaiah 43:4 NIV

Entrée:

First time back in church, I nervously waited for the service to start.  The lights dimmed and the pastor started speaking on the topic of love.  Being newly separated from my husband, my heart lurched in my chest, my eyes darted from side to side for an exit, but my feet wouldn’t budge.

He went on,

As humans, we define love in feelings, but God defines love by His actions toward us.  God loved us first, even while we were His enemy.  Imagine how you treat someone who hurts you?  Is it like this?

He began reading,

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 ESV

Have you ever been in church and felt the holy hand of God tap you on the shoulder?  This pastor had hit the heart spot.

He went on,

Can you substitute your name in the place of the word “Love” in this sentence?

Still spinning from the last altercation with my-soon-to-be-ex-spouse, I tried to add my name in the place of the word “Love”. 

Tears streamed down my face.  I stopped.  I couldn’t look at how unloving I was anymore.

After church, I sped down the highway as fast as I could while explaining to my Mom how broken and unlovable I was.  Then these words came out of my lips,

Mom, no one is ever going to love me.

Everything around me got silent.  I heard in my heart,

You are precious to Me.  I want you.

God never shows us our ugly behavior without the opportunity to love us right back to Him.

No matter how unlovable we think we are or how we behave, Christ bowls us over with His crazy love that covers over all of our sins.

Paul nails it when he tells us,

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.  For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:6-8 ESV

Do you need that kind of valentine?  I know I did.

Take Out:

Reflect on your salvation story.  

Where were you when the holy hand of God tapped you on the shoulder?  Where were you when He whispered in your ear,

You are precious to Me.  I love you.

Think about how far Love Incarnate stooped down to deliver the best Valentine gift ever—His saving grace.

Dessert:

Lord, You bind up the wounds of the broken hearted.  You are with those who think they are alone.  There is nowhere we can go where You are not.  Lord, please make Your presence and Your love known to those who desperately need it.  Romance them into Your loving embrace.  In Jesus' Name, Amen.

For more encouragement, visit Robin at therealrobinjones.blogspot.com

© 2016 by Robin Jones.  All rights reserved.

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