Precious Promises

It is read in our churches all over the world every Sunday, “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”1

Many times this verse has been a precious prayer of promise to me.  Once again yesterday, after hearing this citation for the thousands of time, I started listening to the words, ‘behold what manner of love’, ‘bestowed’, ‘now’.  I started thinking that every moment we GET TO behold a manner of love that is bestowed on us right here and now.  ‘What’ kind of love? A love that is Love, God, being bestowed, given, lovingly to us always from the all-powerful love of Love, because of who we are. 

What a bestowal!  What a gift. What a precious expression of tenderness, mercy, kindness, compassion given to us in the name of being ‘the sons of God’. To stop everything, all thought, concerns, our busy days and see that Love is being bestowed upon us this moment, how our days and outlook would change.  It would have to harmonize, calm, embrace our day in a precious sense of peace and love.

Our requirement?  As it states, “every man that hath this hope in a Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure.” We must purify our thoughts so that we may feel this pure Love, understand this pure Love, follow this pure Love.  How could we otherwise? 

Today let us purify our thoughts from the thoughts of anger to understanding, resentment to patience, disapproval to acceptance, envy to rejoicing, and hatred to love.  Let us change our thoughts so that we may see what He is bestowing upon us every moment, His precious Love.

Gentle hug

1 I John 3:1-3