It was a small piece of paper
tucked inside my hubby’s old Bible. While packing to move a few years ago it
fell out. Here’s the awesome little
chart we found on the paper:
Joy is LOVE exalted
Peace is LOVE restingGoodness is LOVE in action
Gentleness is LOVE enduring
Faith is LOVE on the battlefield
Patience is LOVE showing strength
Meekness is LOVE under discipline
Temperance is LOVE under pressure
Rob wasn’t sure how long he’d had
the note or even when his aunt gave it to him but he did remark he’d reflected
on the words many times. Handwritten by
his Aunt Jean, it is a great blending of the Love scripture with The Fruit of
the Spirit. This chart shows us that Love has many different forms. It also
shows us that there are many different times Love is needed. It’s not because
we are good or filled with wisdom that enables us to choose Love when needed
but it is because God first Loved us. He
is Love and demonstrates how to Love so we know what it looks like in action.
Jeremiah 31:3-6 reads,
When God’s people went in search of
rest, God appeared to them from far away and said:
“I have loved you with an everlasting love, out of faithfulness I have drawn you close.
And so it shall be again My child, I will build you up and you will be rebuilt.
You will again take up the tambourine and join with those who are dancing for joy.
You will again plant vineyards on the hillsides.
“I have loved you with an everlasting love, out of faithfulness I have drawn you close.
And so it shall be again My child, I will build you up and you will be rebuilt.
You will again take up the tambourine and join with those who are dancing for joy.
You will again plant vineyards on the hillsides.
Your farmers will plant them, and
you will enjoy the fruit yourselves.
The day will come when those who guard the land will cry out from the hills,
‘Get up! Let us go and worship the Eternal God.’ ” The Voice Version
The day will come when those who guard the land will cry out from the hills,
‘Get up! Let us go and worship the Eternal God.’ ” The Voice Version
If you look at the chart from Rob’s
aunt, except for Love resting and Love exalted, all the times listed on the
chart are times of difficulties. This promise from the verse in Jeremiah
reminds us that God will Love us in such a way that we can’t help but give that
Love others and display Love even when we don’t feel able. He will rebuild us
and supply the fruit for our community with nourishment that is so overflowing
that it even feeds our hungry soul. We can’t go wrong when we choose Love and
when we choose God’s way. Maybe this is why the Bible also tells us that Love
covers a multitude of sins! **Lord, thank you for being Love and showing us Love. I’m not always good at choosing to be Love or showing love but I will try to remember Love can be used in any situation. Forgive me for not relying on you to fill me with Love when I am empty. I ask for your Holy Spirit to come and help me live in Love everyday. **
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“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and
self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have
crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit,
let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, or provoking
and envying each other.”
Galatians 5:22-26 New International Version (NIV)
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