Thought for August 16, 2023

  •  1896: Gold first discovered i the Klondike
  • 2008: Usain Bolt sets world record in the 100 meters to win Beijing Olympics
  • Born: T.E. Lawrence, Menachem Begin, James Cameron, Madonna, Steve Carell
  • Died: Babe Ruth, Margaret Mitchell, Bela Lugosi, Elvis Presley [maybe], Aretha Franklin
Thought: 

Reading 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13 this morning. Paul is praying that his long planned return to Thessalonica will happen soon. In the meantime, he prays that the Lord will cause the church to increase and abound in love for each other and for all men so that the Lord can establish their hearts holy and blameless at the coming of Jesus. Think about that for a moment this morning.

The Lord wants me to be holy and blameless at His coming. The means to that end are to pour out love through me in an increasing flow of love. God wants to use me as a conduit of His love to the world--both the church and those that are lost. It seems to me that there are two things necessary for me to flow out an increasing river of love. First, I must have a source for I am not capable of loving on my own. I must be attached to the source of love. So I need to maintain my relationship with Christ--communicating, listening, obeying, following. I must have a solid connection to the source of love. He is not only the only source of love, but He is also an abundant source of love---His love does not run out, get depleted. 

Second, to be a conduit of His love, the pipeline must be free of blockage and sufficient in size. Here is the problem--not with the source, not with the abundant supply, but with the pipeline. Paul says our pipeline should be increasing--think about a drinking straw. If that is the size of my pipeline of love, it doesn't matter how much love is available, the conduit is limited. So in the strength of Jesus, we grow in faith and hope and love and our drinking straw becomes a small pipe--then as we grow in Christ, the diameter of the pipeline grows, allowing more and more of His love to flow through us. 

The third issue is rust in the pipeline or perhaps a blockage--all of us are familiar with what happens when we have a blockage in one of our arteries or veins around the heart--shortness of breath, pain, dizzy and unstable, difficulty thinking. Same is true of our love pipeline---if I allow sin to clog the pipe and the flow backs-up. I feel weak, can't think, walking is difficult--so I must clear the pipe with repentance and confession. 

Today I am asking myself, how is your love pipeline--small, narrow, clogged, blocked. Lord, do what is required to allow Your love to flow freely, abundantly through me today. 

Blessings
Larry

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