It’s never too late (or TOO EARLY) to start looking for Love in all the right places!
It’s better than roses or candy to have this pre-Valentine’s Day treasure hunt for true Love! It’s easy to find lasting Love, when you look for it in all the right places. Unfortunately, many today are “lookin’ for love (or lust) in all the wrong places.” Have fun seeking and finding your true Love in this week’s lesson, which is a seven chapter Love letter, or Love song, to you.
Responsive Reading God is “head over heels” (upside-down, inside-out, inseparably) in Love with you and will “take up for you” in every situation! How about this for unconditional Love: “And we know that ALL things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Rom. 8:28 Included in “ALL things” are seemingly ugly things. “Grace makes beauty out of ugly things.” according to a newly released Top 10 song by U2 called “Grace.” To connect this line back to Paul’s assurance to the Romans, this all-beautifying quality of grace springs naturally from “them that love God, to them who are the called according to to his purpose.” Rom. 8:28 When you feel your calling and purpose is “to impart truth, health and happiness,” you’ve found true Love and beauty in all the right places, as well as your “reason for existing.” My 165
Your Love Letter, Section 1: God loves you so much that, without winning a lottery, you can instantly change your address to move into Love’s mansion! Here’s a little different take on the familiar passage from I John 4:16 “We know it so well, we’ve embraced it heart and soul, this love that comes from God. When we take up personal residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we’re free of worry on Judgement Day — our standing in the world is identical with Christ’s.” (from The Message, The New Testament in Contemporary Language by Eugene H. Peterson)
Your Love Letter, Section 2: What fun to see that our inherited mindset to “love thy neighbor as thyself” (Leviticus 19:18) is one of divine Love’s directives from the OLD testament, given to us by the same authors who wrote Genesis 1. Jesus expanded on this heritage; so did Mrs. Eddy; and, so must we. Next time a lack of love surfaces and you hear or feel that this or that “really sucks,” remember that “this seeming vacuum is already filled with divine Love.” (S&H 266:9, underline added)
Your Love Letter, Section 3: The story of Mary Magdelene’s total conversion, contrition, forgiveness and all-out love is proof positive that it’s never too late to start looking for love in all the right places. Mrs. Eddy thought so highly of Mary’s reformed state of thought and Jesus’ forgiveness of her that she introduces the chapter “Christian Science Practice” with it. (S&H 362-367) Elsewhere, the founder of Christian Science affirms that “The vital part, the heart and soul of Christian Science, is Love.” S&H 113:5 And, if we “hit the bullseye” of Love, other missing of the mark (the Greek word for sin) is forgiven.
Your Love Letter, Section 4: God’s coordinate gifts of the graces of forgiveness and healing have been irrevocably granted to you! Forgiveness and perfect soundness were graciously given to the man whose friends loved him enough, and trusted the certainty of the Christ-cure enough, to carry him and his couch up to the top of a tile roof and tear it off so they could lower him down for Jesus to cure. Try to picture this scene and the effort it took! And, rejoice in and duplicate the love, effort and faith it represents! You too are sure to rejoice “in the proof of healing, — in a sweet and certain sense that God is Love.” S&H 569:13
Your Love Letter, Section 5: No test can prove our discipleship or our gratitude other than that of our humble, selfless service and our daily good deeds. By washing his disciples’ feet and bidding us to do the same, Jesus set both an easy and hard standard for us to daily live up to. His meekness turned the world’s measure of success upside down. The Way-shower showed that we are not here to be served and to be loved, but to serve and to love! Only by obeying this new commandment to “love one another; as I have loved you” can we truly be known as Christians. Then, instead of coming into a room with the arrogant attitude of “Well, here I am,” we’ll come in radiating the Christ love of “Ah, there you are!”
Your Love Song, and ” bond of perfectness” (Col. 3:14) Section 6: Far from being “same old, same old,” the love of Christ and the daily service it demands bring newness and fresh joy to all. “If any man be in Christ, . . . behold, ALL things are become new.” II Cor. 5:17 God’s Love is “the real deal” and will make us want to sing this Love song from “My Fair Lady” with Freddie: “I have often walked down this street before, but the pavement’s always stayed beneath my feet before. All at once am I seven stories high, knowing I’m on the street where you live.” The street where divine Love lives may not always be “Easy Street,” and is certainly not Bourbon Street, where Mardi Gras revelers seek easy, temporary highs by setting their affections on things of the earth. Lasting highs (“seven stories high” -or 7 synonyms high) come only when you “set your affections on things above.” Col. 3:2 May you rejoice in the pure pleasure of “that happy day, when man shall recognize the Science of Christ and love his neighbor as himself” S&H 55:17 and feel the peace, newness and joy of “that overpowering feeling that any second you (your true Love) may suddenly appear!” (from “On the Street Where You Live” in “My Fair Lady”) The true you, who has taken up residence in God’s reflected Love, is radiantly happy, joyously anticipated and dearly loved!
PS “If God had a refrigerator, your picture would surely be on it!”
