On Love

"We all know perfectly well that naturally we do not love even our nearest and dearest as ourselves; and that there are heaps and heaps of people that we do not desire to love or to be one with, indeed, the further we can emphasize the distance between us, the better! There are people that we dislike intensely, whom we always avoid if possible, with whom we are temperamentally incompatible, people we label as odd, exasperating, incredibly stupid, obstinate, self-opinionated, dogmatic, appallingly selfish, or altogether impossible."

"Does it not seem likely, therefore, that the reason why there is so little conviction of sin in the world today is because multitudes of non-Christian people see so little in professing Christians to convict them? How often do they see a company of men and women obviously aflame with love and with a passion for oneness? If every Christian was like a burning bush on fire with love, loving one another as themselves, in spite of diversity of temperament, gifts, character, creed and doctrine, would not people be convicted at once?"

"'See how these Christians love each other!'" cried the pagans of old, and flocked to listen to these transformed men and women who had been fused together in one by the welding flame of love."

Hannah Hurnard,  Winged Life

The hawk soars almost effortlessly. This one was surveying his domain across the street, over a pasture. That freedom has long been envied by man, rooted to the ground. 

Even if our arms won't lift our bodies to the heights in flight, our hearts can lift our spirits so that we soar over all circumstances in this life that normally would seem to tether us to this fallen world, weighing us down, discouraging us and bringing us even to despair. The way for us to fly is through Love. As we learn better what that word truly means to those of us called by The Name, we view life differently. Love gives wings to our spirits and allows us such freedom. May we learn ever more clearly what He means when He says to, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and mind. And Love your neighbor as yourself."

Then we will fly!