Steadfast love?

(12.14.21– Christmas coming – Psalm 119: 73-80)

My friend, may I ask you a question? Does your heart need exercise? Since perfecting the art of loving is hard work, is there no better time than Advent to get to work?

My friend, Life’s a story, welcome to This Passing Day.

I'm M. Clifford Brunner.

How is your love today? Is your love ready for Christmas? Or, does your love need some working on? Frankly speaking, there's not a one among us today that couldn't use some improvement. But, isn't that what Advent is all about? Advent is a time to prepare our hearts for the coming of Jesus Christ. Preparing our hearts means using our hearts, putting them on the line every day for those we love and, yes, those we don't. Hearts need exercise. Perfecting the art of loving is hard work and there's no better time than Advent to get to work.

St. Francis De Sales wrote: "There are many who want me to tell them of secret ways of becoming perfect and I can only tell them that the sole secret is a hearty love of God, and the only way of attaining that love is by loving. You learn to speak by speaking, to study by studying, to run by running, to work by working; and just so you learn to love God and man by loving. Begin as a mere apprentice and the very power of love will lead you on to become a master of the art." (The Treasure Chest, Page 170)

Steadfast love. That's what loving is all about. Our hearts were made for just that purpose–to reflect the love of Christ in our lives for others. Advent is a time for us to reflect on how we can remove the obstacles in our lives that may be block- ing the light of that love. Today, seek to discover the things in your life that have become barriers to loving in the fullest. Ask the Lord to reveal these things and devote time today in seeking His help. Through His Holy Spirit, He will reveal lovelessness in your life; all you need do is ask. Then, put it before you and confess it sincerely. Take your confession to a friend or spouse and empty your heart of all anger and bitterness. As you are relieved of the burden, allow forgiveness to pour into that empty space. If God reveals an opportunity to increase your love where it has been weak, pray for his guidance as you seek to strengthen a love commitment. Visit someone this Christmas that may be lonely or forgotten. Visit them with your love and discover how much room there is in the Inn of your heart for the steadfast, "threefold love of Christ." How is your love today? Empty out your heart and find out just how much it really can hold.

We pray. Heavenly Father, we confess that we are not always able to love as we ought to. Help us to empty our heart of all anger and bitterness, so that our love will have a place to grow. As we are relieved of the burden, allow forgiveness to pour into that empty space in our hearts that used to hold bitterness and grief. Reveal to us an opportunity to increase your love where it has been weak, pray for his guidance as you seek to strengthen our love commitment to others. Encourage us to visit someone this Christmas that may be lonely or forgotten, so that we may visit them with Your love and discover how much room there is in the Inn of your heart for the steadfast, "threefold love of Christ. How is our love today? Help us Lord to find out just how much our hearts really can hold. In Jesus name we pray. Amen!

Therefore my friend, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry for itself; each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 6:34) This Passing Day. May this passing day honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and be a blessing to you and everyone you meet. Find a stranger and say hello. Don't let another day pass without your day blessing someone else.

If you have a special prayer request, please send your request to ”This Passing Day!”

<thispassingday@gmail.com> From Beech Springs, God bless you for Jesus sake.

Steadfast love?

(12.14.21– Christmas coming – Psalm 119: 73-80)

My friend, may I ask you a question? Does your heart need exercise? Since perfecting the art of loving is hard work, is there no better time than Advent to get to work?

My friend, Life’s a story, welcome to This Passing Day.

I'm M. Clifford Brunner.

How is your love today? Is your love ready for Christmas? Or, does your love need some working on? Frankly speaking, there's not a one among us today that couldn't use some improvement. But, isn't that what Advent is all about? Advent is a time to prepare our hearts for the coming of Jesus Christ. Preparing our hearts means using our hearts, putting them on the line every day for those we love and, yes, those we don't. Hearts need exercise. Perfecting the art of loving is hard work and there's no better time than Advent to get to work.

St. Francis De Sales wrote: "There are many who want me to tell them of secret ways of becoming perfect and I can only tell them that the sole secret is a hearty love of God, and the only way of attaining that love is by loving. You learn to speak by speaking, to study by studying, to run by running, to work by working; and just so you learn to love God and man by loving. Begin as a mere apprentice and the very power of love will lead you on to become a master of the art." (The Treasure Chest, Page 170)

Steadfast love. That's what loving is all about. Our hearts were made for just that purpose–to reflect the love of Christ in our lives for others. Advent is a time for us to reflect on how we can remove the obstacles in our lives that may be block- ing the light of that love. Today, seek to discover the things in your life that have become barriers to loving in the fullest. Ask the Lord to reveal these things and devote time today in seeking His help. Through His Holy Spirit, He will reveal lovelessness in your life; all you need do is ask. Then, put it before you and confess it sincerely. Take your confession to a friend or spouse and empty your heart of all anger and bitterness. As you are relieved of the burden, allow forgiveness to pour into that empty space. If God reveals an opportunity to increase your love where it has been weak, pray for his guidance as you seek to strengthen a love commitment. Visit someone this Christmas that may be lonely or forgotten. Visit them with your love and discover how much room there is in the Inn of your heart for the steadfast, "threefold love of Christ." How is your love today? Empty out your heart and find out just how much it really can hold.

We pray. Heavenly Father, we confess that we are not always able to love as we ought to. Help us to empty our heart of all anger and bitterness, so that our love will have a place to grow. As we are relieved of the burden, allow forgiveness to pour into that empty space in our hearts that used to hold bitterness and grief. Reveal to us an opportunity to increase your love where it has been weak, pray for his guidance as you seek to strengthen our love commitment to others. Encourage us to visit someone this Christmas that may be lonely or forgotten, so that we may visit them with Your love and discover how much room there is in the Inn of your heart for the steadfast, "threefold love of Christ. How is our love today? Help us Lord to find out just how much our hearts really can hold. In Jesus name we pray. Amen!

Therefore my friend, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry for itself; each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 6:34) This Passing Day. May this passing day honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and be a blessing to you and everyone you meet. Find a stranger and say hello. Don't let another day pass without your day blessing someone else.

If you have a special prayer request, please send your request to ”This Passing Day!”

<thispassingday@gmail.com> From Beech Springs, God bless you for Jesus sake.