Do you let love rule in your life? During this season of Lent love has been on my mind more than ever. It’s certainly not what I chose to give up! How could we possibly live without love? That dated commercial with everyone holding up their favorite soda while singing “I’d like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony” comes to mind. We are in perfect harmony when we are in tune to God’s love for each of us...love really will keep us together. My mind flashes back to 1970 when I was preparing my talent for the Miss Clement Pageant. My passion was to share the power of love. It seems like yesterday when I walked out on that stage and sang ...”Take a good look around and if you’re looking down, put a little love in your heart. And the world will be a better place...for you...and me...you just wait and see. Put a little love in your heart.” Then I talked about love and ended singing, “What the World Needs Now is Love Sweet Love ...that’s the only thing that there’s just too little of.” When that pageant was over and the stage filled with people, Tim made his way through the crowd, picked me up in his arms and told me he would love me forever, and he did!

Forever love is what God gives; it’s the greatest gift of all. In Corinthians we are shown that love is the best way of all. “I may speak in different languages of people or even angels. But if I do not have love, I am only a noisy bell or a crashing cymbal. I may have the gift of prophecy. I may understand all the secret things of God and have all knowledge, and I may have faith so great I can move mountains. But even with all these things, if I do not have love, then I am nothing. I may give away everything I have, and I may even give my body as an offering to be burned. But I gain nothing if I do not have love. Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous; it does not brag, and it is not proud. Love is not rude, is not selfish and does not get upset with others. Love does not count up wrongs that have been done. Love is not happy with evil but is happy with the truth. Love patiently accepts all things. It always trusts, always hopes, and always remains strong. Love never ends. There are gifts of prophecy, but they will be ended. There are gifts of speaking in different languages, but those gifts will stop. There is the gift of knowledge, but it will come to an end. The reason is that our knowledge and our ability to prophesy are not perfect. But when perfection comes, the things that are not perfect will end. When I was a child, I talked like a child. I thought like a child; I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I stopped those childish ways. It is the same with us. Now we see a dim reflection, as if we were looking into a mirror, but then we shall see clearly. Now I know only a part, but then I will know fully, as God has known me. So these three things continue forever: faith, hope and love...And the greatest of these is LOVE!”

Jesus calls us to love God above all else. He summarizes the Law as a matter of love. Matthew 22:37-39 Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Do we truly love God with all our hearts, souls and minds? More importantly, do we boldly show and share our love for our Father. That old saying,’ love isn’t love ‘till you give it away’ has much truth. If God showed His love in the manner that many of His sheep do, even some shepherds leading flocks in His name do, we would starve for sure. God gives that forever, unconditional love that keeps us filled and running over. He will never leave us or forsake us, never walk out on us, never leave us stranded, never half love us or abuse us, never threaten or taunt us in the name of love. No, our Savior understands true love and that’s His way...the only way. He doesn’t play love games, hanging around and holding on, begging, pleading, and bargaining in hopes of persuading us to love and honor Him. He will do His best to win our hearts, but if we continually say ‘no’ to His calling...He will not tarry. It breaks His heart when we shut Him out or say we love Him but our actions don’t show it. Grieving the Spirit hurts our heavenly Father. He knows we are all His children, but often our love wanes, our loyalty wanders... we become lukewarm, and we give Him our leftover time, talent, energy, and love. And it hurts Him deeply. We understand that piercing pain well. For when our own children stray and stay so busy with things of the world...we get leftovers too. Don’t take this out of context, as many people do with God’s Word. God loves for us to expand and extend our horizons, to be successful and adventurous...but to walk in step, in faith and fellowship with our Father, not ahead of Him or lagging behind...staying closely connected and in His will for our lives. We can’t put Him on hold to spend time with Him at our convenience. We must nurture our personal relationship with our heavenly Father daily, just as we should do with our earthly family. When we love deeply with our heart, and soul, and mind...we will never lose touch with our Creator or those He chose to give us life. Stay connected!

Let love rule in your life. Ephesians 4 shoots from the hip with clear cut directions, “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” When love rules your heart and life, you become a true reflection of Jesus. We make choices to do what is right and good, to let our love for our Lord shine in all that we do, to be a reflection of His love in our attitudes and actions, to give Him first place, not leftovers any longer. We refuse to allow the words of the flesh to dominate our lives. We make the decision to love the way God loves. It is then that we will truly understand and operate in the gifts of the Spirit and have that intimate relationship with our Father. We will be connected! We will never get a busy signal, feel distanced from Him, or wonder why we can’t feel His presence. He will fill our cup, and we will thirst no more...he’s there forever and ever.

It is this forever, limitless love that compelled Christ to the cross to die for the sins of the world. As we approach Easter, turn your eyes upon Jesus and let His love rule your life.

An old hymn reminds us to draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith.

“I am Thine O Lord, I have heard Thy voice, and it told Thy love to me. But I long to rise in the arms of faith, and be closer drawn to Thee. There are depths of love that I cannot know, till I cross the narrow sea, There are heights of joy that I may not reach, till I rest in peace with Thee. Draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord, to the cross where Thou hast died. Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord...To Thy precious bleeding side” Draw near to God and allow His love to rule in your own life. Ask Him to come into your heart today, to come in to stay, and He will.

When I was only twelve years old, Jesus became my Savior, wrapped His arms around me, and promised to love me forever ...and He is! Amen.