The Sound of Love

There are times when life leaves you feeling a bit stretched.  A bit too slim.  Times when there's been just a bit too much angst in your world, and your patience and maybe even your hope is wearing thin.

I got to take a walk on a beach today in the sunshine while the boys swam.  Food for the soul.  I walked, drank in beauty, and let the breeze wash over me and blow away the sand that had sifted into my heart, blocking out joy.

And words like these came to mind, "Love is patient.  Love is kind."

There are many people that I love.  It's the ones who hold the absolute center of my heart, my heartstrings, that can really make me bleed.  When someone you love like that is hurting.  Oh my.  And often there's nothing that you can say.  Just give love.

No one ever said that loving is easy.

Ann Voskamp said in her poetic way recently:

"Joy and pain

are two arteries of the heart

that pump through all those who don't
numb themselves to really living."

Love does hurt.  But who would want to live without love?  Even though it's painful. 

It would be a empty, shallow existence at best.   

And the One on Heaven's throne understands because of His love for us. "It broke his heart."  (Gen. 6:6) And we've still been breaking His heart ever since.  God understands grief.  He understands hurt and regret. The Alpha and Omega comprehends.  He knows.

Photo credit:  Hannah Bates

Love is powerful.  "The greatest of these if love." (I Cor. 13:13)  It's the biggest thing we have to share with the world around us; a knowledge of His love and exemplifying His love through us.                                     

"There is no sound louder than love."

~Switchfoot 

It's what the world is desperate for.  And what we need to be showing.

"When we love, we earn the right to speak the truth

When we speak truth, we show the world we truly love

I'm not pointing my finger.  I'm holding out my hand. 

I'll lay it all on the line now to see God save my friend

Let my life and my words be the proof

I'm gonna love you with the truth." 

~Casting Crowns (Love You With the Truth)

This song makes an excellent point.  I think in modern times, times that are getting more and more post-Christian, times where moral absolutes are disappearing and truth is considered relative, that we as The Church no longer have the credibility of times gone by.  Being a Christ Follower hasn't been part of the lives or upbringing of the masses.  So why should they listen just because we say so?

Maybe they haven't seen us love enough.

The below cartoon caught my eye on a friend's Facebook feed.  Unfortunately it makes a valid point........

So what do we do?  Let's scream that 'sound' of love to a world that desperately needs to hear.  Loud. WAY out-loud.  Let's show them with our lives.  Let's leave coveted comfort zones behind.  Let's get our hands dirty in other people's messes. Let's care beyond what is comfortable.  Let's love the fringes like we love our own, our heartstrings.  Let's love, and let it hurt, before we even think about opening our mouths.

Let's earn the right to speak.

Not sure where this came from!