There are many versions of word association games - where you have to say the first word you think of when you hear another word. When you started Love 40 days I wonder what word you would have thought of when you heard the word love? I wonder what you would think now, half way through. Is it different? Has this journey changed your thinking about love at all? If it has, it would be great to hear how in the comments below...Our thinking about love should be changing. From our old thinking - which could include a foucs on romantic love, selfish love, love that is given in order that we might receive, love about our feelings - to the thinking that is shaped by the Word of God. We can review what the Word of God says about love by revisiting any of the previous posts from the past 19 days. It says this in Romans 12:2 - Don't copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
Today, let us pray that God continues to transform our thinking about love, and as our thoughts become more godly, that our serving is more Spirit-led and our loving more effective. For His glory.
For the kids:
It says this in Romans 12:2 - Don't copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. What do you think this means? What behaviour and customs do you think it would be better not to copy? What sort of thinking do you think that God wants to give us and how can we find God's wisdom? Pray together that God would change the way we think - from the youngest to the oldest. Just think how amazing the mind of a toddler, preschooler, school-child can be when their thoughts are transformed by God!
I was reading Galatians this week and came again to the passage about the fruits of the Spirit 5 v 22. I think because we've been having more teaching recently about the Holy Spirit, it seemed to jump out at me again. It says that "when we let the Holy Spirit control our lives then He will produce the fruit". Love being one of the fruits. It's so important that we allow (or ask) the Holy Spirit to help us to love. We can't do it on our own, at least not in the way that God wants us to. Much like the Corry Ten Boom story, we can be the vessel but it's the Holy Spirit who produces the love. Verse 25 says: "If we are living now by the Holy Spirit, let us follow the Holy Spirit's leading in every part of our lives." I need to do that!
ReplyDeleteAmong other things we have found the old favourite 1 Cor 13 help change our thinking daily. Mainly since we stuck helpful words and phrases up in the lounge to remind us. "Is that loving?" is a regular question round these parts... Was that patient? Kind? Not trying to get your own way? Not showing off? And not just helping the kids!! Bring on the mindwash!
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