Weekly Word for May 25 - 31, 2003

But now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. (1 Cor. 13:13)

I remember hearing this question - “Will you accept a gift?” I was totally alone when I heard these words! It was like a whisper in my ear - and then the voice came again: “Will you accept the gift of a child - of total love - but for only a short time?” Now I was really wondering what to make of this. And then a third time the whisper came: “If you say no - it will be as if you never knew you were asked - but if you say yes - it will be a wonderful gift of love - but with loss.”

I waited, but the voice didn’t come again. Then I knew that the Lord was asking me this question. He was asking me if I would accept a child - one who I would totally love - and one who I would have to give up when He took the child away from me. If I said no to accepting the child - there would not be any reprimand or harsh words - I would go on as if it had never happened. Yet, I would never know the love this child would bring into my life, even if it meant pain when it was gone.

if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. (1 Cor. 13:2)

Love - that word that means so many different things to us! This coming week-end is Memorial Day. The day we remember those people and important times in our lives that have since gone by. When I look back over the years, I see so many times of joy as well as times of sorrow! We all have them both. It is what we do with the sorrows, the times of losses that cause us to be able to accept love, or not! When my son was 17 he enlisted in the Army Reserves. As we were sitting at the kitchen table with him and his recruiter - I remember telling the recruiter that Everything that happens in our lives needs to be used for good - nothing should be wasted! The man looked at me as if I had spoken a foreign language! I truly believed what I said - and I still do!

When we have been hurt by loved ones - those closest to us - it is difficult to not close up, to choose to not be hurt again! We then choose to keep the hurt, it fills us up. And nothing else can get inside of us. Years ago, I had a close friend whose young teen-age daughter got pregnant. The young girl gave birth to her child when she was only 16 years old. The girl missed out on her prom, class dances, her high school trip, all that goes into being a young teenager in high school! When I talked to this girl, she told me she felt “robbed” of her teenage years and of fun! She then set about finding that fun! All she could see was her “losses” - and she did not see the gift of her child before her! I felt so sad for both (mom and child).

“The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy; I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly.” (John 10:10)

When my children were very young - they lost their grandmother on their dad’s side of the family. They loved her very much! She had fought cancer for quite a number of years, and so it was a huge loss for her husband when she passed away. They were always together! My heart went out to him as he lost his wife of so many years! As we would celebrate special times in our children’s lives, I would see his sadness at the fact that his wife was not there to see it all - to be part with their lives. Sadness was always with this man. Then his first great-grandchild was born. She was such a beautiful little girl - and one of the names she was given was his wife’s name! As he held this little girl, my hope for him was that he would know how much love his wife had given to her family. That her love was living on in this little one! That’s what love is about - it never dies!

Love . . . does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; it bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails (1 Cor. 13:4-8)

All love comes with loss - whether it be saying good-bye to a spouse, or a child leaving for college, or even having another person make terrible decisions that bring about their leaving. Yet, love is worth all! If we never allow ourselves to face a loss - we will never allow ourselves to truly love!

What did I answer the Lord when He asked if I would accept His gift? I did think about it for a little bit - I knew the question was very important. My answer was: “yes”. I would take any gift of love - even though pain was sure to come with it! Then it was as if the Lord said: “Good job!” I felt as if I had passed some sort of test. It felt as if this was a very important lesson - one which the Lord wanted me to understand fully - and then to teach others about it.

“Therefore you too now have sorrow; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one takes your joy away from you!” (John 16:22)

As we come to this Memorial Day - will you give Him your “memories” - your losses - and ask Him to fill them with Life? Will you accept a true “gift of Love”?

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Mathew 5:8)


God bless you in the coming week ahead.

In His Love,

Debbie and Ted Ayers