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Scripture for the Week
"Love is Patient..." 1st Corinthians 13:4a

Dear Friend,

Love is patient. What? We know you don't have time to read about love being patient. It takes too long, requires too much effort and really there must be a more expedient way to get love. Yet life and most assuredly love requires patience. Most of our living is done in the position between "the now and the not yet." In other words, between the love we have and the love we are longing to experience, we have to wait and we have to be patient.

We could help develop your patience by writing a long laborious eletter but we'll try not to torture you. We just want to help you pay attention to the patient-love challenge given to us by Paul in 1st Corinthians. To use the words patient and love together like they belong to each other is a serious challenge! We could all be patiently loving if there were no people involved in the challenge. You know those people that don't do it your way, have let you down, irritate the heck out of you.

Maybe an illustration will help us move forward in patient-love. The story of the olive tree is exactly the image we need. It is said that there are olive trees in the Garden of Gethsemene that would have been there when Jesus prayed in the garden the night He was betrayed. Olive trees grow on barren, sandy ground with little water and nourishment. Yet, they can live thousands of years (that's longevity!) and are loved for their beautiful wood, olives and don't forget ...olive oil mmmmm. Seems that patient growth is worth it.

David communicated that he wanted to trust in, rely on, be patiently waiting for God's love. In Psalm 52:88 he penned these words "But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God's unfailing love forever and ever... sounds like patient love. Longevity at its finest.

Consider the relationships you have: Could this be God's love lab to develop patient-love in you? Can the disappointments you've experienced be the sandy soil God is creating your longevity with? Is the lack of water in those relationships causing you to go deeper in your faith or are you tempted to run or retire? Even if you're not getting all the nourishment you need --hang on! Keep growing in love! Be patient for ever and ever...

We would never suggest anyone stay in an abusive relationship. Never be patient with abuse! We are offering the patient-love challenge to those relationships God has given you, because in order to experience the beauty of longevity, we must develop patient-love. Honestly, it just takes patience :)

Patience practices:
Hold your tongue...listen attentively
Wait your turn
Give up the remote
Give the love your looking for...serve the one who hurt you
Stay where you are-like an olive tree
Last but not least --pray

Patience Blessings,

Scott & Clare