“The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself in love” (Gal.5:6). “We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). “Your love (Lord) is better than life” (Psalm 63:3). “Let all that you do be done in love” (1 Cor 16:14). “Perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18). “Love never fails” (1 Cor. 13:8).
Dear Jesus, I can certainly think about you without thinking of Jack Miller, (my spiritual father for 21 years). But I cannot think about Jack without thinking of you. No one taught me more about your love, grace, and the Gospel than Jack. I woke up today remembering one of the many things hammered into us—a “one-liner” grace-lined with timely wisdom. “Scotty, just mount a love offensive,” he would often say.
“That is,” (to paraphrase Jack,) “when you’re being mistreated, sinned against, or ignored —instead of getting defensive, go on the offensive. Mount a love offensive. Repay harshness with kindness, criticism with humility, and indifference with curiosity.” Jesus, thank you letting me actually see Jack do this for two decades.
It’s so counterintuitive, hard to do, and like you. Help us Lord. May your incomparable, unwavering, inexhaustible, never-failing love change and free us. We don’t want our traumas and triggers to hold more mastery over us than your grace and Spirit.
We love you, and anyone else, because you first loved us, and gave yourself for us on the cross. Re-humble, re-gladded, and re-free us to love in our easy, normal-messy, and impossible situations as unto you. Jesus, on this August Tuesday, may we prove the wonders of your love and the sufficiency of your grace. So Very Amen.