Love Is Not Irritable?!?!

Love is not irritable?!?  I'm irritated I didn't know that!! During my time of repentance this morning I was drawn to read about what God says love is/does.  I knew that reading this verse would convict me of the areas in which I am not walking in love - therefore needing to confess to the Mighty Forgiver.  Good times, right?  Holiness is my desire. Intimacy with Him.  Confessing my need for him and deeper awareness of my need for Him brings that intimacy and dependency.  This is the desire of my heart and His too!

Anyways, I read the classic love chapter, I Corinthians 13.  Something hit me -- in the ESV it clearly states, "Love is not irritable." (I Corinthians 13:5)  Oysh.  Irritable!?!  My sheets turn crooked on my bed in the middle of the night and I'm irritable!  Oh Lord help me.  So, I confessed my irritability and asked the Holy Spirit to convict me of my irritable moments and empower me to respond to His helping hand to say "no" to irritability and embrace true love.  "Love that bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." (I Corinthians 13:7)  He can.  I can't.  In Him, through Him, surrendered to Him I can walk in daily obedience; because of His great love for me.

Truth rocks.  Love Him!!

Lifter of My Head

The journey towards missions is no joke.  It's a journey of big joys and big challenges.  Meditation upon his character and promises has become a discipline.  This is a sweet (and sometimes grueling) growth time and a time of knowing my Savior more each day.  It's like marriage - year after year the relationship deepens based on shared experiences and new understanding of what makes your spouse your spouse.  My most sweet and cherished relationship is with my God, my friend, my Savior and Helper.

Today as I spent time with Him I was drawn to study the characteristics of God that are Light, Hope, Lifter of My Head etc.  As I studied I realized how hungry I was to be reminded of these characteristics.  My Helper gently lead me into study the things that my soul needed to remember, to chew on throughout my day.  Don't you love Him?!? I do.

This morning I prayed this verse over myself, Chris and my girls.  When praying I was drawn to tears as I grew aware of my soul's cry for this to be true for us and applied into our daily practice.

Psalm 3:2-4 - Many are saying of my soul, there is no salvation for him in God.  But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory and the lifter of my head.  I cried aloud to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy hill.

I also soaked up these awesome truths - 

He is All Powerful, Light - Amos 5:8 (He turns darkness to morning!)

He is my shield, the lifter of my head - Psalm 3:2-4 (He is my shield, my glory, the lifter of my head!)

He is my Mighty Rescuer - Psalm 107: 14-16 (He bursts our bondage, Cuts through strong bars!)

Thank you Almighty God for encouraging my heart; leading me even as I sit with you to chat.  You are worthy, able and enough.  Selah.