The perfect description of love was given to all of us. Yes I mean everybody! Jesus did it all. By dying that horrible death and then raising up from the grave, he gave us the perfect gift. The problem is that not everybody takes that gift, freely given to all. Just pretend that your best friend gives you a gift beautifully wrapped and you say, “I don’t want it.” You give it back. How do you think that best friend feels?

I’ve heard a group of little children, I think it was on television, were asked, “What is love? The children gave a whole bunch of answers. Here are just a few of them: when Mama smiles at me, when everything feels okay, when Daddy plays basketball with me. These are fine and do display love to a little child but what is love to you?

The Bible in I Corinthians 13 gives the answer. I will write some of them, but it would be good if you read the whole chapter. The Bible says if you speak in the tongues of men and angels, but have not love, You are only a resounding gong or a clanging symbol. Love is patient, it is not proud, love is kind, it does not envy, it is not rude or self seeking. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices in the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. And there is more. That is certainly true, but not the way we act all the time, do we?

The most awful thing some of us do is not to take that gift of love from Him who gives it. He gives us everything, expecting nothing in return. Think about it. Have you taken that gift  or do you just know that Jesus came, He died and he rose again, but for me? that is the question.

 

It is February, time to think about love, instead of impeachment and hatred between groups. Valentines day seems not to fit in today’s comings and goings. But let’s not forget. February is also the birthdays of two great presidents. Today I want you to think about President Abraham Lincoln.

He had self education, and learned much by candle light but he did have honesty and a strong love for his country. I was reading the other day about President Lincoln’s second inauguration, March 4, 1865. the day was dull and rainy, but it cleared up in time for the inauguration. a platform had been built on the east  front of the capitol and around it, as far as the eye could see were people.A roar broke out when the president took took his place on the platform. The crowd became silent as he began to speak. Just then, the sun came through the clouds.

“On the occasion corresponding to this four years ago, all thoughts were anxiously directed to an impending civil war. Neither party expected the magnitude of the duration which it has already attained.” (I’m not writing it all,) but he goes on to say: “With charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his wife and his orphans….to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.”

Afterwards, Lincoln told reporters he had not expected such an ovation. He didn’t even expect to be re-elected. His four years had been difficult, years of struggle, suffering and bloodshed and people had hated and denounced him. One newspaper called him “The obscene ape of Illinois. Horace Greeley had written an editorial declaring;   “Mr. Lincoln is already beaten.” and so, he had not expected to stand on that platform to take the oath again, even though it was clear the Civil War was nearly over. He said he felt no elation in the victory, but he did see the hand of God in it.

I can see that today we see things never end. what is that saying?—-what goes around comes around. Yes, that is true, but we have a special country with special people in it. and though we make mistakes we seem to come together and make our country great. Our great nation is because a great man whose birthday we will soon celebrate, is just one of the people who makes our country work. And though you may think our country has just gone to the dogs, we will rise again just like the time of the Civil War.

So let’s not ever think America is over. It will Never be over as long as we believe that God is in control. America will never fail as long as we have men and women who will fight diligently for our country, It will never fail as long as we have people who will urgently pray for it. Yes, America is a special country!