By Ada Brownell
***The author's historical romance, The Lady Fugitive, is on sale for .99 through Feb. 12. The Lady Fugitive, 2015 Laurel Award runner-up. Buy: http://ow.ly/QzlIP
I grew up observing love demonstrated among family. One of the most
amazing was a relative who was a new Christian, and she showed love to her
husband beyond what I, even as a child, thought was necessary.
Her husband, with training in the
finer etiquettes of his heritage, expected men to be served before women.
My aunt, who I know had some fire
somewhere in her bones, acted as if she were made to serve her husband, and she
did it with joy. We were guests at their home after church one Sunday and boys
near my age were allowed to eat with the men, while I remember thinking I would
starve before girls and women were served.
I don’t
think my aunt was so subservient before she became a Christian, but she did
what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 7, 13:14: “And the woman which hath an
husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not
leave him. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the
unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband.” As
the years passed, my uncle accepted the Lord and treated his wife with kindness
and respect. Not many years before he died, he sang his wife’s praises and
wasn’t afraid to tell others about what a great woman she was. No longer did the
men eat alone, but sat at the table enjoying the chatter of ladies.
My idea
when he was such a pompous husband would be to “throw the bum out.” But God has
better ways.
I’ve
thought of Jesus when John the Baptist was beheaded. John was a relative and
close friend. He baptized Jesus. Now the earthlings Jesus had come to save not
only killed John, but brought his head on a platter.
No
wonder when the disciples brought the news, Jesus immediately jumped on a ship
and went to a desert place. He knew humankind could be cruel, but I imagine it
was different when he took on human flesh to be one of us.
I’d have
said, “Father, they’re too wicked. Let’s forget the whole redemption plan.”
Instead,
when Jesus saw a crowd followed him to the desert, He had compassion on them
and healed the sick. That evening he fed the multitude with five loaves and two
fish. When the disciples departed in a boat the night, a storm blew in. Jesus
walked on water, calmed the seas, and even invited Peter to step out onto the
liquid.
What
love is that? The type He asks us to strive for.
How can I be a more loving person? Start with obeying Jesus who said, "Thou shalt love the Lord they God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all they mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it; thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. ON these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets" (Matthew 22:37-40 KJ).
Love is explained
in 1 Corinthians 13-3-5NLT: “If I gave everything I have to the poor and
even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it, but if I didn’t love others, I
would be of no value whatsoever. Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or
rude. Love does not demand its
own way.”
We're also told, “Let the faith and love of Christ Jesus be
your model” from 2 Timothy 1:13 CEV.
When we
study the Word we learn love is as powerful as dynamite and will take us
through life more easily, just as dynamite can open a highway tunnel through a
mountain. Used in the wrong way because of jealousy or other sinful motives, love can be destructive.
Love is
important to our happiness, both the love we receive and the love we
give. God loves us no matter what, and
some people love us because God put it in their hearts. But to be a complete,
we must return that love and put love into action.
The
greatest love of all is God’s love for us: “For God so loved the world that he
gave his only begotten Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but
have eternal life” (John 3:16).
When Jesus gave His life for us so we could have forgiveness of sins and live forever in heaven, that was the greatest gift of love ever given. What a gift! Better than any Valentine's gift ever given.
© Ada Brownell
ADA'S HISTORICAL ROMANCES ARE ABOUT LOVE, BUT ALSO SUSPENSE
Ada Brownell has
been writing for Christian publications since age 15 and spent much of her life
as a daily newspaper reporter. She has a B.S. degree in Mass Communications and
worked most of her career at The Pueblo
Chieftain in Colorado where she spent the last seven years as a medical
writer. After moving to Springfield, MO in her retirement, she continues to
freelance for Christian publications and write non-fiction and fiction books.
She is author of Peach Blossom Rancher, released By Elk
Lake Publishing in 2016; The Lady
Fugitive, Elk Lake 2014; Joe the
Dreamer: The Castle and the Catapult, 2013; Swallowed by Life: Mysteries of Death,
Resurrection and the Eternal, 2011; Imagine
the Future You, released 2013; and Confessions
of a Pentecostal, Radiant Books, out-of-print but released in 2012 for
Kindle;. All the books are available
in paper or for Kindle. Imagine the Future You also is an Audio Book.
Buy
Peach blossom rancher here: http://ow.ly/4ETL302QdhW
Twitter: @adabrownell
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