Wellspring. Karen Moore

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СКАЧАТЬ teachers, and others who could cause us to follow them, we must listen with an ear for more than their words. We must seek to hear them from the heart, to discern the real music in their voices. Only then will we know if they speak from love or if they are driven by selfishness and loathing. We need to speak with love to each other, as a gentle voice of harmonious notes. Let us be soothing and kind and most of all, speak from the heart to each other.

      In the Flow

       Lord, it isn't always easy to know who to trust, to figure out the good guys from the bad ones, but you know who they are. Help us hear with our ears tuned to you so that we can know the ones who truly speak with love. Amen.

      February 12

      Hope for a Troubled Heart

       A joyful heart brightens one's face, but a troubled heart breaks the spirit.

      —Proverbs 15:13

      A smile and a frown / Walk in the rain, / One with great joy— / One just to complain. / The smile draws light / From the good things about, / While the frown sees the shadows / That only cast doubt. / They pause for a moment / On reaching the town, / The smile looks up / And the frown looks down.

      —K. Moore

      Whatever is happening inside the heart and mind steals across the face and shows up wrapped in joy or sorrow. As you walk around today, make it a point to study the faces of those who are near you, looking for signs of what may be stirring in their hearts at that moment. When you see a face with a great, bright smile, thank God for the joy that person knows and was able to share with you as they passed. When you see one with a broken spirit, cast down by the burdens of life, ask God to strengthen and renew that person.

      Your ministry today is about standing on your feet, watching out for others, and praying for their good. May this be a day when your heart is not troubled, but smiles with the eyes of faith.

      In the Flow

       Lord, help me notice the faces of those I meet today. Help me peer inside their hearts and offer prayers of thanksgiving. You are the great Source of all that brings real joy to our lives. Thank you for giving us reasons to smile. Amen.

      February 13

      The Eyes of Faith

       We live by faith and not by sight.

      —2 Corinthians 5:7

      Edward Teller is known for this wise saying . . . "When you get to the end of all the light you know and it's time to step into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing that one of two things will happen: either you will be given something solid to stand on, or you will be taught how to fly."

      Sometimes your steps are uncertain. You feel like you're walking in the dark and waiting for God to give you a flashlight. Like a person in dense fog, you progress, get to the next spot, and notice that you can actually see just a little bit of the road ahead. You walk in the fog with faith.

      When we're blinded by the fog that life can sometimes bring, it helps to remember these words from Helen Keller: "If the blind put their hand in God's, they find their way more surely than those who see but have not faith nor purpose."

      God wants to walk with you and be your vision, your sight. He alone knows the path so well that he can keep your feet from stumbling. Today as you step into the world, ask him to come alongside you, to direct your steps and be your eyes. You can walk blindly, or you can walk with the eyes of faith, knowing that each step leads you where your Father would have you go.

      In the Flow

       Lord, be with me today as I go about my business. Sometimes I think I know exactly where I'm going and sometimes I don't. Either way, I want to put my life in your hands, safe in faith. Amen.

      February 14

      Jesus Wants You for a Valentine

       Now faith, hope, and love remain—these three things—and the greatest of these is love.

      —1 Corinthians 13:13

      Valentine's Day may have pagan origins, but its roots don't really matter to those of us who understand and practice love. We know it's important to spread love wherever we go in as many ways as we can and to show the Ultimate Source of love to others.

      As we exchange hearts and flowers thinking about the people we love, let us remember why love exists in the world in any form. It exists because our Creator is the author of all love and he loved us first. He was the first Valentine. You can define love for yourself with anything from a love of chocolate to a love of the symphony.

      You can imagine it with the love you feel for someone close to you. You experience it more fully, though, when you go directly to your Father and plug in to the love he has for you. With his love, you grow stronger. With his love you can move mountains of insecurity and trouble and leaven them behind. You then become all that he meant you to be, a living, generous example of who he is today, tomorrow, and always. Love is his motivation. Love is the result.

      Jesus wants to spread his love and his heart of truth and joy to everyone you meet. Go on, make some new Valentines. The world needs a little more of his love.

      In the Flow

       Lord, help me love others the way you love them. Amen.

      February 15

      What Motivates You to Do Good?

       Let's also think about how to motivate each other to show love and to do good works.

      —Hebrews 10:24

      Most of us want to do good things. We are interested in the well-being of others and are motivated in that interest in a variety of ways and for a host of reasons. For some, doing good comes naturally. Compassion and empathy motivate our spirits. God's love then pushes us to do even more.

      For others, a sense of social activism drives the desire to take on humanity and do good deeds. Some of us feel compelled to do good things because of our social position or status in a community. We do good, but our hearts are not necessarily in it.

      What makes the difference? The key is to see if any of the motivation for what we do comes from love. How much do you have to think about the good things you do? How much do you expect in return? How much publicity and ego-boosting do you want about the things you do? Let us choose to do good in any way that we can for those in our midst today.

      In the Flow

       Lord, there are people in real need all around me. Help me love them enough to do what I can simply because you have made it possible for me to act and because of my love for you. СКАЧАТЬ