Early this
morning kept thinking of the song, "Because He Lives" – especially the part that
says, “Because He lives, all fear is gone.”
This while I was praying for someone regarding fear they had been
feeling. Today’s Our Daily Bread references 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, and in the
Amplified Bible verse 27 says (emphasis mine):
27 But
[like a boxer] I buffet my body [handle it roughly, discipline it by hardships]
and subdue it, for fear that after proclaiming to others the Gospel and
things pertaining to it, I myself should become unfit [not stand the test, be
unapproved and rejected as a counterfeit].
Hmmm … there’s that “test” element again … But “perfect love casts out fear” according
to 1 John 4:18, stated thusly in the Amplified Bible:
18 There is
no fear in love [dread does not exist], but full-grown (complete, perfect) love
turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings
with it the thought of punishment, and [so] he who is afraid has not reached
the full maturity of love [is not yet grown into love’s complete perfection].
And today’s God Calling further references love:
Your need is a spiritual need to carry
on My work. All spiritual supply is fashioned from Love.
Love … Earlier
in the week, I had been thinking of the song, "How Deep the Father’s Love for
Us". Today, though, I was hearing and
singing "How Great Thou Art". That was
followed (in the playlist in my heart) by "You Are Holy" (by Lisa McClendon). Selah.
LORD,
there truly is no one like You. And there is no
love like Yours. Thank You for loving us, for loving me
– so perfectly, so completely, so sacrificially, so unconditionally, so
graciously, so mercifully, so wonderfully, so beautifully, so mightily, so
patiently- and for allowing us, allowing me, in any measure, to be able to love You back.
… and my journey with Him continues …
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