II John Chapter 1

“And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it.”     II John 1:6 (NASB)

Prayer Over Our Children
Oh God, fill my child with mercy and grace that is born of Your truth and love. Bless her richly with love through the walking out of Your commandments. I pray that You will protect her from false teachings and keep her from running ahead of You. Oh Lord, ground her in sound doctrine so that she may ever dwell in the presence of You, the Father and the Son. Help her faithfully abide in You and remain steadfast in the truth so that she may receive her full reward. Make her joy in You complete, oh God, and surround her with Godly, encouraging, friends throughout the whole of her life.

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Love Your Neighbor
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 * As a Christian, I believe it is our responsibility to obey the authorities God has placed over us. It is also our responsibility to exercise wisdom and prudence. I feel the need to explain the post below was written shortly after the unexpected school closures  and prior to our governor's order to close non-essential businesses. This disclosure comes from a heart of transparency. I do not want to give the impression of disobedience or foolish actions in the midst of the current global circumstances.

     Strange as it may sound, amidst this COVID-19 pandemic my heart has been richly blessed and deeply touched. In the past days, I have experienced love and lived it out in return. Everyday tasks and innocent interactions have been made joyful because of this love.

     Many establishments have been shut down in our community, my gym notwithstanding. As a woman who derives pleasure from tasting delectable foods, working out is a “must do.” Skipping regular workouts would balloon me to twice my size. The treadmill is my choice of punishment. I love the pounding of legs, pumping of heart, straining of muscles, and the profuse outpouring of sweat. During a workout, my mind engages with anything it can to help pass the time. Whether I am reflecting upon the day’s events, planning my next steps, praying, or listening to His still, soft voice, I come away feeling physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually fit. Add praise and worship music to the mix and it is an all-out jam session. Endorphins here we come!
     So, when my gym closed, I was heartbroken. Good-bye endorphin rush, good-bye delicious, caloric foods! Good-bye skinny jeans! Hello fat pants! I confess, creative alternatives existed for a rousing workout. However, a mountain of excuses miraculously materialized. These excuses prevented me from working out to videos, yoga, or even jumping on the trampoline in my own backyard. A closed gym is only a small matter in comparison to the pandemic threatening our country. It does not measure up as a matter of true crisis. But small as it was, God still cared.
     “You can come and use my treadmill,” a friend generously offered. In times where we are isolating ourselves and avoiding personal interaction for fear of contamination, her offer touched me deep to the core. For beneath her spoken words, an underlying message spoke to my heart. “I love you friend and I care for you.” Her simple act of love not only touched my heart but filled me with joy. A joy which continued to flow from one day into the next.
     The following afternoon, I dropped by my friend’s house. The treadmill stood in the garage awaiting my pounding. The monster machine tried to gobble me up within the first 5 minutes. Her two little girls watched with eyes wide as I almost toppled off the treadmill in an attempt to acquaint myself with the new machine. A last-ditch effort saved me from becoming a flattened pancake. Like a cat with 9 lives, I landed feet first onto the rolling conveyor belt.
     “You scared me,” confessed the one little girl. She eyed my feet as if she could will my feet to stay upright.
     “I scared myself,” I admitted, struggling to gain rhythm and pace. Once a few more little adjustments were made, my mind was free to wander. 30 more minutes to go and me without music, my thoughts mourned. This will be the longest workout ever. But God still cared.
     “God is so brave! God is so strong!” enthusiastically sang my friend’s little girl. “God is everywhere!” Again, and again she sang, twirling and spinning as she lifted her voice. A big smile stretched wide her face. A matching grin also appeared on her younger sister’s face.
     “God is strong!” sing-sang her younger sister in perfect echoing tones. She squealed and sang to the beat of her own rhythm, enthusiastic and cute as a button. The two of them sang and danced, transferring their energy to me through their joyful innocence and sweet praise. So contagious was their joy that it fueled my tired legs and kept me moving.
     “Yes, Jesus loves me!” continued the oldest one. She smiled and stretched wide her arms in emphasis. She stood in front of me on the big, bad machine, as if ready to step out onto a stage. Soon, songs from the musical Annie serenaded my ears followed by a rousing rendition of Frozen II. Then, before I knew it, the garage kicked into high gear. With one in the front and one in the back, the two girls surround sounded me. Each girl was lost in her own song and singing as if she was a headliner on Broadway. What had started out as a tedious task of sweat and straining muscles now was transformed beyond what I could have hoped or expected. Entertaining, joyous, and fun. All because someone reached out and showed me love.
     Dripping in sweat and fervently wishing that I had put on deodorant, I prepared to flee so to rescue my friend from toxic fumes. In the process of leaving, I learned of an appointment my friend had later that day. With no one to watch her children, she planned for them to accompany her. But, full to the brim with joy from the love she showered upon me, I now wanted to reciprocate love back in full measure.
     “My husband and I would love to watch your children,” came my offer after I had checked with my main squeeze. “Sweet Pea would be thrilled to have a playdate with them.”
     “Really?” she asked. Surprise and hope flickered in her voice. “Are you sure?” I was sure. Boy, was I sure! For the giving of love carries a flame which is contagious. It fills and spreads to the farthest recesses of your heart and fills you to overflowing. So infectious is this love, that it in the very act of receiving, it inspires you to perpetuate the same gift of love upon another. My friend gifted me love and I now wanted to do the same.
     Three little girls soon commandeered my home. Their happy and cheerful chatter filled the space, bringing with them light and life. I stood at my sink washing dishes with the sounds of happy play ringing in my ears.
     “Can I use that?” Sweet Pea politely asked her friend. All 3 girls were hand deep in purple kinetic sand.
     “Sure!” enthused my friend’s daughter. A wide mouthed smile shone on her face as she passed an orange, toy surfboard. Miniature plastic animals dotted the sand as if sunbathing at the beach. Plastic people were perched on sand dunes as if searching for buried treasure. Except for the tinted color of the sand and the farm animals, the landscape closely resembled spring break at the beach.
     “Meow-meow!” pretended the youngest. A tiny, blue, toy kitten scurried over the sandy surface. Cute little fingers made the feline dance and prance through the purple particles.
     As giggles, laughter, and dear little voices filled the air, a sweet yet unexpected sensation washed over me. Like melodious strands woven together in harmonious layers, the synergy of happy little girls and cooperative play combined with the rinse of foamy soap bubbles created music for my soul. This unlikely blend of babysitting and kitchen clean up duty birthed something far more beautiful than the actual tasks themselves. In the middle of scrubbing plates with an attentive ear towards the girls, I suddenly realized joy and contentment had captured my heart.
     Joy for the playful innocence of the precious girls before me. Joy for the peaceful harmony in my house. Joy for the friends of my daughter and my own friendship. Joy to bless another and joy to be blessed. Joy.
     The wonderful thing about love is that in the act of giving and receiving it, what comes back in unexpected measure is a double portion of blessing and joy. I believe this is one of the reasons why love can be so contagious. For in the act of being poured into, our cup overflows into the hearts and lives of others. A synergistic relationship exists between joy and love. When one experiences love, joy often is its companion. Likewise, when one feels joy, love typically accompanies it. With love comes joy. With joy comes love.
     Love also binds and unifies. Colossians 3:14 tells us, “over all these virtues, put on love which binds them together in perfect unity.” I find that love not only binds together virtues such as compassion, kindness, gentleness, humility, and patience (Colossians 3:12), but it also unites us together as the body of Christ.
     Even more amazing is that love supersedes and overpowers worry, fear, and anxiety. How? Because “perfect love drives and casts out fear” (I John 4:18). If perfect love (which is God’s love) casts out fear, then let us wield God’s love and the love He has given us one for another, as a weapon to ward off fear.
     Should this not be our approach to this virus? Can we not commit to showing and living out love to our family, friends, and neighbors during this time of crisis? After all, we, as a nation, are facing unprecedented times. Parents are wondering how they can go to work with their children home from school or how they can manage with an unexpected house full of children during the day.  Businesses are closed. Families find themselves incomeless. People are contracting the virus and dying.
     Here, I issue forth a challenge. Take purposeful and intentional actions this week to identify ways to show love to someone.
     Then, do it! If you are not in a "Stay at Home" quarantine state, such as I, here are some suggestions. Maybe there is an elderly person for whom you can purchase groceries. Perhaps you and your children can create cards of encouragement to mail friends or relatives. Or maybe your family can create a care package to leave on the stoop of a neighbor.
     However your family chooses to show love, the point is quite simple. When we begin to move, act, and serve out of our love, the more we disengage with fear. During this time of crisis, we need love and joy more than ever to combat the real life worries we face as a nation. In a time when we feel like we possess such little control over our circumstances, let us intentionally and purposefully seek out God’s love as our response to worry and fear. Let the Golden Rule of loving the Lord God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength as you love your neighbor as yourself, govern your heart and your household through these unparalleled waters. God bless and God be with you.
 
A Parent’s Prayer
Oh God, I cry out to You. May Your perfect love cast out all my fear. Help me to trust that You will provide and care for my every need. Oh Lord, I need Your strength and Your hope now. Fill me with Your joy and love so that overflows in my own heart into the lives of my children, family, friends, and neighbors. Make me a reflection of who You are.
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