Refreshing Faith
According to our culture, love shields people’s sensitive feelings from hurt. According to God, love protects people’s eternal souls from harm. Biblical love won’t support actions and ideals that damage people. Hurt versus harm—there is a world of difference.Continue Reading
This Valentine’s Day I thought it would be nice to recall our magnificent love story with the lover of our souls. I think fairy tales thrill us because they echo the story of redemption and point to our glorious future with our heavenly bridegroom.Continue Reading
“Did you feel less loved because you had less toys?” I asked my son who’d just told me the reason he didn’t invite friends over was because we didn’t have many toys.”
“One of my friends asked why I didn’t have many toys.”
My daughter piped in, “I bet I know who.” My son nodded at the name.
“Yeah, they had lots of toys,” she said.
Growing up, I played with dolls and balls. But climbing trees and creating an imaginary world out of what I could find were my favorite forms of entertainment. And back in olden days, I don’t remember large stores dedicated to toys. So I guess I assumed that was enough for my children too.
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us” (1 Jn. 3:16 NIV).
Jacob lifted Anna, spun her around, and lightly set her down. “Oh Jacob,” his wife smiled and gently stroked his ear. “How I love you.”
The touch on his ear took Jacob back to the day the awl pierced it. Six years of serving his master and five years of loving his wife had made the decision between freedom and Anna easy. He wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of his days serving his master and loving his bride.
Under Old Testament law, a Hebrew could sell himself into slavery to pay his debts. The Mosaic Law limited his service to six years. If his master provided a wife while he was a slave, then his wife and any children born during his servitude belonged to the master. The day he gained his freedom would be the day he said good-bye to his family.Continue Reading