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Perfect Love? Proverbs 31 OBS Blog Hop Day!!!



Welcome!  I am so excited to begin another Online Bible Study with Proverbs 31!  This week I am talking about Perfect Love!




"My dear, dear friends, if God loved us like this, we certainly ought to love each other. No one has seen God, ever. But if we love one another, God dwells deeply within us, and his love becomes complete in us—perfect love!"  1John 4:11-12

I am imperfect.  What is perfect love?  To me, perfect love is God.  Perfect love is Jesus!  Every good and perfect gift is from God and rains down on me…on you.  

I have little patience.  I am selfish.  I worry.  I fear.  I don’t trust.  I play the “what if” game.  And I worry pray a lot.  A lot!!!


Perfect love has no worry.  

Perfect love has patience.

Perfect love has belief.

Perfect love gives grace.

Perfect love trusts in all things. ALL THINGS!


 
What if we could see perfect love every single day in our lives?  It’s in the looking that we wake up and see it.  When fear and worry creep into my day…and they do…I begin to write.  I begin to count out the blessings and then the worry starts to dim.  When I’m doing piles of laundry that never seems to end…I count the gifts.  Clothes.  Squeaky washing machine.  The mess in the laundry room.  My children that get to wear these clothes. 

When people would not leave Jesus alone…He didn’t lose his patience.  He looked on to them with compassion.  Perfect love.

When my people come running to me fighting with each other…do I look to them with compassion? Sadly…no, not all the time!  Imperfect love.  

Pause and count the blessings.  Thankful that I am their Mother that gets to help calm this storm.  Thankful that I am breathing to be in this moment.  



 
Rain keeps coming down here…it’s going on 5 days now.  Sometimes I feel down when it’s all gloomy outside and stressed when I try to be the “perfect” mom doing inside stuff.  But, I don’t have to be perfect to be loved by The Perfect One.  I don’t have to be “perfect” to my children because it is in the kneeling and asking for forgiveness that shows Jesus to them.  I don’t have to be “perfect” to have hope in The One that is perfect.  I don’t have to be “perfect” to come to Him.  He wants all my imperfections to show up so that He can use me…use my mess for His message.  




“Then you will know that I am the Lord. Those who hope in me will not be disappointed.”  ~ Isaiah 49:23b.

The closest thing I can think of that is an example of perfect love in my life would be the day that each of my children were born.  It doesn’t really come close to God’s perfect love!  But, bringing my babies into this crazy world and having them be God’s gift to me and my husband - looking into their eyes for the first time…was perfect love for me.  




“God is not looking for perfection.  He’s looking for surrender.”  ~Heidi St. John



 

Comments

  1. AnonymousOctober 17, 2013 at 8:40 AM

    Just what I needed to hear today. Thank you Lord for your perfect love!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MichelleOctober 17, 2013 at 2:44 PM

      So glad that it was timely for you! =) Thank you for stopping by!!

      Delete
  2. Joy MomentsOctober 17, 2013 at 11:32 AM

    Beautiful pictures and I loved your blog. Reminds me of Ann VosKamp. May He continue to use our messes for His blessings. Thanks for sharing. Debbie W. (OBS Facebook Group Leader)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MichelleOctober 17, 2013 at 2:45 PM

      Oh Debbie...Ann is my FAVORITE!! Thank you!!!! Yes...may He continue to use our messes!!! Thank you for stopping by! =)

      Delete
  3. Sandi BrewerOctober 17, 2013 at 11:48 AM

    That was a beautiful message! Our view of perfection in this world is so different from what God wants to perfect in us. Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MichelleOctober 17, 2013 at 2:45 PM

      Thank you Sandi...and thank you for stopping by! =)

      Delete
  4. AnonymousOctober 17, 2013 at 4:55 PM

    HI Michelle, This is a wonderful post expressing God's #perfectlove in our imperfect lives. Thank you for sharing this with us, and thank you for sharing the beautiful photographs. This post is truly a blessing.
    Carla- P31 OBS Group Leader

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MichelleOctober 17, 2013 at 5:41 PM

      Thank you Carla and thank you for stopping by!! =)

      Delete
  5. Amanda McCuskerOctober 17, 2013 at 10:05 PM

    What a beautiful reminder of perfect love! The pictures are wonderful and so are you words. Thank you for sharing! God bless!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MichelleOctober 18, 2013 at 6:04 AM

      Thank you Amanda...and thank you for stopping by!! =)

      Delete

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