“We love Jesus because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). “Your love 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 woke up today remembering one of the many things my spiritual dad, Jack Miller stressed—a grace-infused “one-liner” filled with aged wisdom. “When you feel you’re being unfairly criticized, ignored, or sinned against—instead of getting defensive and attacking back, try this. Repay harshness with kindness, criticism with humility, and wrath with gentleness. Mount a love offensive. Pull the pin on a grace-grenade and lob it into the fray. Carpet bomb the situation with God’s mercies, gentle answers, and kindness.”
How revolutionary, counterintuitive, Gospel-like, and unlike me. Jesus, help me (and us) big time. May your incomparable, unwavering, inexhaustible, never-failing love drive out our fears. May your joy and delight in us drive us deeper into the riches of the Gospel and intimacy with yourself. May we love others as you love us, Jesus, period. No one and nothing has to change for us to grow and share the fruit of your Spirit.
Once again, may we experience your love as better than life—better, sweeter, more satisfying, and compelling. We love only because your first loved and still love us, Jesus. Today, on this August Monday (and for the rest of the week), may we prove the wonders of your love, the strength of your joy, and the reach of your grace. Life is too short to be easily offended, hyper-sensitive, and hair-trigger defensive. That would be such a waste, boring, and so unnecessary. So Very Amen.