The Power of God's Love

I sat on the hard, wooden bench, with my legs and feet dangling down but not touching the floor... trying to sort through in my mind what was happening in my little ten year old world. There was a somber, sad feeling, among all who sat around me. I kept thinking of the beautiful woman, wife and new mother who would never grace the doors of our church again. I thought of her smile, her love for Jesus, the excitement of a new baby girl and even her love for me. I thought of her compassion and the many things that she had taught me. I saw the sadness in her husband's eyes, and I thought of how lost we were going to be without her. But as the days and weeks wore on, we lost the daddy and the baby as well. He was the pastor of our little church and he moved back to his hometown to be with his family. I couldn't blame him... there were too many sorrowful memories of her tragic death.

It is a time and place that I will never forget... though, there was much pain and deep sorrow, it was the beginning of a love story for me. Before this beautiful woman died, she passed on to me an expression of love in my young life of who Jesus is spiritually. In a sense, she passed the torch to me before the flame died. I would hold on to that flicker of light as over the years, God would keep it burning in my heart. When I think of her... I know that through her life a seed was planted in my heart to know God. Just as I looked up to her in my child-like faith and later went on to live a life of commitment to Jesus Christ.... His Word through the years has assured me...

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. 2 Peter 1:3

I am always amazed when I think back of how God used this family in my life. They were such examples of God's love and faithfulness. You could always smell the sweet aroma of the fruits of the spirit when you were around them.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22

So... fifty one years later, I am living in the grace of my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Still looking to him daily for guidance and wisdom. And God's Word gives us strong encouragement to grow stronger... to be all that we can be for Him.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being in-effective and unproductive. 2 Peter 1:5-8