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"For God so loved the world that He gave His onlyh begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
(John 3:16 - NKJV)
"For God so loved the world that He gave His onlyh begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
(John 3:16 - NKJV)
SPIRIT BREAD WEEKLY
LOCOMOTION LOVE
By Jerry D. Ousley
By Jerry D. Ousley
Locomotion Love
By Jerry D. Ousley
While I don’t believe that riding a train is the most economical and quickest way of travel it is fun to take a train ride. We did that once with our daughter, her husband, and of course our granddaughter. It was around Christmas time and we went to a neighboring town which sported a Santa Express ride. It was only about a twenty minute ride but we enjoyed it thoroughly.
It was thrilling to watch our two year old granddaughter as she met the “train elf,” watched the conductor punch all our tickets and she was especially delighted when Santa walked through the door. Shortly before her mother had asked her what she was going to tell Santa she wanted for Christmas. The two year old had no problem spouting off a long list of things. Funny, when Santa stopped by our booth she was pretty much speechless. Do you suppose she changed her mind and didn’t want all those things after all? I doubt it.
We had dressed in Christmas attire even wearing those red and white Santa hats. Our granddaughter had on a green sweatshirt that sported a reindeer on the front. However, she thought that it looked like something else. When we asked her what it was she promptly said, “A dog.” When my wife corrected her she responded, “Yeah, a dog-reindeer.” She finally decided that it was a dog with antlers.
The train of course was pulled by a locomotive from which we derive the word locomotion. The word means “to move from place to place.” That’s fairly descriptive of a passenger train because it stops frequently but continues on to the next stop.
When we think about love one of the most quoted scriptures has come to be known as the “Love Chapter” – 1 Corinthians 13. It reads, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging symbol. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a child I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” Many words have been spoken regarding this passage. Though I quote from the New King James Version, when it comes to this chapter I really like the King James rendering which uses the word “charity” in place of “love.” I like that word because it literally means “love in action.” True love does something. It goes places. It touches lives and makes a difference. That’s locomotion love.
Just as Paul wrote in this chapter we could know every language in the world including the language of Heaven; we could have such wisdom and understanding that we are totally accurate in prophecy and understand all mysteries; we could have such great knowledge that we know all there is to know. We could give everything we make to the poor and sacrifice our bodies. But if we don’t have love – charity – locomotion love – then we are actually nothing.
Love does not let us or others down. Love does something about human need, human suffering and death. Of course we don’t have the power in ourselves to change things that need to be changed. But we can hop aboard the locomotion love train and let God guide us to our next destination.
By Jerry D. Ousley
While I don’t believe that riding a train is the most economical and quickest way of travel it is fun to take a train ride. We did that once with our daughter, her husband, and of course our granddaughter. It was around Christmas time and we went to a neighboring town which sported a Santa Express ride. It was only about a twenty minute ride but we enjoyed it thoroughly.
It was thrilling to watch our two year old granddaughter as she met the “train elf,” watched the conductor punch all our tickets and she was especially delighted when Santa walked through the door. Shortly before her mother had asked her what she was going to tell Santa she wanted for Christmas. The two year old had no problem spouting off a long list of things. Funny, when Santa stopped by our booth she was pretty much speechless. Do you suppose she changed her mind and didn’t want all those things after all? I doubt it.
We had dressed in Christmas attire even wearing those red and white Santa hats. Our granddaughter had on a green sweatshirt that sported a reindeer on the front. However, she thought that it looked like something else. When we asked her what it was she promptly said, “A dog.” When my wife corrected her she responded, “Yeah, a dog-reindeer.” She finally decided that it was a dog with antlers.
The train of course was pulled by a locomotive from which we derive the word locomotion. The word means “to move from place to place.” That’s fairly descriptive of a passenger train because it stops frequently but continues on to the next stop.
When we think about love one of the most quoted scriptures has come to be known as the “Love Chapter” – 1 Corinthians 13. It reads, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging symbol. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a child I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” Many words have been spoken regarding this passage. Though I quote from the New King James Version, when it comes to this chapter I really like the King James rendering which uses the word “charity” in place of “love.” I like that word because it literally means “love in action.” True love does something. It goes places. It touches lives and makes a difference. That’s locomotion love.
Just as Paul wrote in this chapter we could know every language in the world including the language of Heaven; we could have such wisdom and understanding that we are totally accurate in prophecy and understand all mysteries; we could have such great knowledge that we know all there is to know. We could give everything we make to the poor and sacrifice our bodies. But if we don’t have love – charity – locomotion love – then we are actually nothing.
Love does not let us or others down. Love does something about human need, human suffering and death. Of course we don’t have the power in ourselves to change things that need to be changed. But we can hop aboard the locomotion love train and let God guide us to our next destination.