You Are Made to Love

You Are Made to Love

Kathleen Maxwell-Rambie

Copyright 2015

Kerrville Daily Times Article

“Wow, you have been busy,” the clerk at the local postoffice stated as I set all my brown envelopes on the counter. “Yes I have,” I replied. “These are valentines gifts for all my kids and grand kids,” I continued. “I guess at some time I will have to make some changes as our family keeps growing. I have gone from getting valentines for three kids to five since I remarried and now we have two grand babies,” I said as I smiled.

Letting people know that they are loved is very important to me and I not only want to be good at it but want to become excellent at loving others. Every person has a need to be loved and valued. I enjoy putting deposits in the emotional banks of people God puts in my path. When I am gone from this earth, I want it to be said of me, “she loved very well.”

God is the best at loving us as it was his idea to begin with. I John 4:7 says, “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (NIV) 

Love is the essence of who God is. He absolutely adores each of us. He tells us that over and over in his word, but more important, He has demonstrated love by sending his son so we could have everlasting life and a new life, instead of a life full of sin, guilt and regret. It is our God given privilege to go through life fully loved. Do you know for a fact that you are incredibly loved?

How good are you at showing others that you love them? When I was younger, I did not often tell anyone that I loved them. In my early 30‘s, I discovered that the reason was because I was insecure in God’s love for me. Insecure people have a hard time letting others know they love them.  I totally believed God loved other people but because of past hurts, I had walls around my heart that prevented me from receiving love, even his love. As I admitted this to myself and a few close people and prayed, God graciously removed those walls. Since that time, the more I have opened my heart to God’s love, the better I feel I am at loving others.

When we love others, we prove our love for God. Some people are easy to love and others can really challenge us. What I have come to discover is that all dealing with others give us an opportunity to practice love. I have a phrase I often repeat to myself when dealing with difficult people and it is, “Kathleen, you got to love them.” We have all heard the saying, “practice makes perfect” and I often think God allows situations in our lives to give us practice at loving like he does. One of my life sayings is, “I am what I love, not what loves me.” This keeps me grounded in difficult situations.

I John 4:11 instructs us in love by saying “Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” 

Let me encourage you this Valentines Day to begin the day receiving God’s love for you. Verbally tell God you love him and that you open your heart to his love. Ask him to help you love others well. The Texas Hill Country is full of people needing to be shown and hear that they are genuinely loved for who they are, not what they do. Ask God to let you be his valentine to those around you. He is looking for people to be his hands and feet Valentines Day and every day. 

Time for a Heart Checkup

Kerrville Daily Times Article
January 2015
Kathleen Maxwell-Rambie
Copyright

     As I walked into the Emergency Room to see my father, I was greeted by the physician that had been treating my dad. “Kathleen, your dad is in serious condition and his heart is failing. I am afraid he could code at any moment. Do you have his advanced directives?” the doctor stated.  “I have them at home.” I replied, still trying to wrap my mind around what I heard. “You need to go and get them as soon as possible,” the tall doctor continued.

     I knew my father had bone cancer and congestive heart failure.  He was tough as a boot and had already used up his nine lives but I guess I expected he would have ten. He exercised, watched his weight and took medication to take care of his heart and to help beat the odds of his condition. He was a fighter and he had always been a part of my life.

    It is imperative that each of us take care of our heart, otherwise, we will not live long. But what about your spiritual heart? What condition is your heart in? And how  can we take care of our spiritual heart?

     Proverbs 4:23 admonishes us to guard our heart. It says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” (NIV) Our heart is the core of who we are and we must examine it all the time to keep it in good shape and in proper condition. When our heart is settled, peace is in  our life even though circumstances might be a bit crazy. It is our heart that is the doorway to life with God.

     The first and best ways we can take care of our spiritual heart is to give our hearts to Jesus. God sent Jesus so we could have a new heart. Ezekiel 36:26 talks about this great exchange and what God’s heart is for us when we accept Christ into our lives. “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” (NIV) 

     It is simple to get a new spiritual heart. Romans 10:9 &10 shows us how. “That if you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord,: and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your your heart that you believe and are justified and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” Have you accepted Christ into your heart? If not, what are you waiting for? Your new heart is available.

      Numerous people give their hearts to Christ but then do not take care of it. Reading the Bible, talking to God, also known as prayer, confessing sins to him and receiving His forgiveness are all things that strengthen our heart. All of these things keep our hearts in good shape. God’s word is like a road map. It keeps us going the right way, shows us how to live, speak, work, get along with others, have peace and joy.

     Prayer is nothing more than conversation with God. You do not have to kneel to pray and can visit with God anytime, any place. God loves being a part of our everyday life and created us to have relationship with Him. Telling God how we feel, what concerns us, how something hurt are all ways of pouring out our heart to God. The great news is He is always available to listen.

 Just like hardening of the arteries will keep blood from flowing properly through our bodies, our heart can get hard and calloused by difficulties in life, hurt, disappointments, and  betrayal. Forgiveness is essential to keeping our heart soft. Forgiveness is a two way street. We are instructed throughout scripture to forgive others that have hurt and disappointed us and we are also told to ask God for forgiveness of the things we have done wrong.

     Confessing and repenting of our sins, wrong attitudes, selfish actions or unkind words are essential to keeping our heart soft. All of us have done wrong. Sometimes one of the hardest things to do is forgive ourselves. Most people hate to make mistakes but don’t be afraid to admit your faults to God. He loves you unconditionally and He wants your heart tender towards Him and others.

     My sweet father’s natural heart stopped beating shortly after my conversation with the physician two years ago. He was a man that also took care of his spiritual heart and set a good example for his children and grandchildren.

     You and I have a lot of life to live. I do not want to miss one second of the things God has for me and I always want my heart to be soft and tender to Him and sensitive to those around me. Life flows from the heart in the natural and in our spiritual lives. Will you join me in giving your spiritual heart a checkup and take care of your heart?