Hope For Today

Dear Friends, I've been thinking a lot about love this week. About God's love for me, my love for him and his calling on my life to love others. Do I live a life of love? Is my life characterised by love? "Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love . Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that" Ephesians 5:1-2 (MSG) The Amplified Bible puts it this way: "Therefore become imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father];   and walk  continually  in love [that is, value one another—practice empathy and compassion, unselfishly seeking the best for others], just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and sacrif...

Dear Friends, At this time of year, many people's thoughts turn to love and Valentine's Day. For some, it's a day to look forward to as they look for ways to express love to someone they care about and as they wait to receive expressions of love in return. For others, it can be a painful reminder of love lost or feeling that they have no-one who loves them as they desire to be loved. Each one of us longs to be loved and accepted. We were made for relationships. We can experience many forms of love, whether it's the love of parents for a child (and vice versa), love between siblings, love of a good friend, love between girlfriend and boyfriend, or husband and wife etc. As much as we can receive and give love within these relationships, no one person was ever meant to meet all our needs. One person cannot totally satisfy our need to be loved and accepted. If we look for that person to do so, they will end up frustrated that they are not able to be all that we nee...

Dear Friends, When I was a child, back in the seventies, (yes, I really am that old!) our family had a Promise Box. In this box were many small pieces of paper rolled up and tweezers. Some mornings, during our family quiet time we would take it in turn to choose one of these scrolled papers. On each paper was a Bible verse - a promise of God. I used to enjoy it when it came to my turn to pick one and read what was written on it. The Bible is full of God's promises. God is a promise maker and a promise keeper. He is always true to his word. Always trustworthy. Always dependable. There are so many examples in the Bible of the promises he made to his people and the fulfillment of those promises.   God makes unconditional promises - they are based on who he is, on his faithfulness and not on our actions or faithlessness. He is a God who cannot lie. Keep in mind that the LORD your God is [the only] God. He is a faithful God, who keeps his promise and is merciful to thous...