“May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.”
II Thess 3:5
“Prayer is being loved at a deep, sweet level.”
Richard Rohr
Paul prayed that the Lord would ‘direct hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance. Love and perseverance are two sides of the same coin. Christ loved us by walking under a weight of suffering. It was sheer obedience that kept his feet moving toward the cross. And He did it for the joy set before Him! Perfect devotion and duty melded into a single act of love. Honestly, I find it hard to walk the razor sharp line between the two. How do we keep love embedded in our hearts as we seek to obey His will? Check these out:
Read the Word as a love note. In 7th grade Lori Sweeny and I had a hot romance going. Only problem was I was too shy to talk to her. So we passed notes in the hall, and when I got to my next class I would pore over hastily scribbled and cheaply scented morsels of her intent. I had to know what she was thinking. God minces no words in telling us His thoughts. Whether it’s a hard word, or a promise, they’re all there to build capacity to love Him.
Run the race for love not place. The African long distance runners are kicking the world’s tails; have been for two decades. Their secret is found in their training. When asked how far they run, they respond, “I don’t know.” How long do you run? “Not sure.” What do you do for training? “We run until we tire. We love to run, why count miles or minutes?” Herein lies the secret to a great prayer life. Pray until you tire—because you love it, not for any other reason.
Francois Fenelon said, “There is only one way to love God: to take not a single step without Him, and to follow with a brave heart wherever He leads.”
Love and perseverance mark healthy devotion. Just as Paul prayed for God to direct hearts to that sweet spot, so let us do the same for the young hearts that grow under our care.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
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