There is a poem or writing by Bishop Fulton Sheen that I wanted to share with you all. I found it on a dusty shelf in a thrift store. The book is titled, That Tremendous Love, An anthology of inspirational quotations, poems, prayers, and philosophical comments. It was edited by Bishop Fulton J. Sheen, Ph. D., D.D. The book was published by Harper and Row. I find it important to share the author and publisher so that I can give credit where credit is due. The Christian world of writing, speaking, and ministering is one of the biggest stages of plagiarism and I want to make sure that someone’s hard work is accredited to them and no one else. This not only allows credibility but also gives room for criticism of the author.
How Love Grows
At the beginning one loves God only for his gifts or for the emotions He sends us. He treats us then, “like a young woman who is being courted.” If gifts are no longer given in abundance after true marriage has occurred it is not because a husband’s love is less, but because it is greater. For now he gives himself. It is not the husband’s gifts that his wife loves nor his compliments, nor even the thrill of pleasure she gets form his company. She loves him. The moment the Lover is loved for Himself, then the nature of the gifts ceases to matter. If God withdrawals all sensible gifts it is only because He wants union between the soul and Himself to be more personal and less dependent on his generosity. – FJS
I will never forget the first gift my husband really gave me. It was for Valentine’s day .It was a yellow gold necklace with two interlocking charms. The heart charms were about the size of a nickel. The outer heart was an outline of diamonds and the inner heart was an outline of rubies. Two hearts as one. One regret I may always have was my response to the gift. We were both serving in Iraq at the time. He had found a computer and went to the military mall website and ordered the first piece of jewelry that was on the home screen of the site. I was disappointed that he didn’t put more consideration into it. All I did was express that he was lazy in his gift and I didn’t like yellow gold. I didn’t even consider the fact that he was a 19-year-old, married, kid deployed to a war zone that was exhausted from back-to-back missions picking up our friends demolished vehicles that were covered in blood and bullet holes… and still went out his way to order a diamond and ruby necklace and have it shipped to his wife in a war zone. I didn’t consider that this was the first piece of jewelry he had ever bought in his life. The thought of my actions still makes me say, “Ugh!” A few months later, still in Iraq, on our first anniversary he had made a notebook that had listed different memories and he had cut out pictures to help tell a story of us. He wrapped it up and had a friend deliver it via military convoy from his small camp to mine. I still keep it in my nightstand next to the gold necklace. He has only gotten me one Valentine’s Day gift since 2005 and I don’t mind because his love is worth more than anything he could buy.
I started thinking about the gifts that Jesus has given. I didn’t want to make this a list of just the gifts that he has given me or my family. While that testimony is great and full of joyous tears, I wanted to direct yall back you the Word, so you may see the witness accounts for yourself. This is not an all inclusive list. I encourage you to find more! The first one I would say was his first miracle.
(John 2) When he turned water to wine. He was just starting his ministry and starting to have people follow him. His mother was in distress over wine at a wedding. We may first think that this is people upset because they wanted to drink like many people do now at weddings. However, at traditional Jewish weddings, the Rabbi that is performing the wedding will pour two glasses of wine into one cup, he will bless the wine, and recite the seven blessings for the marriage. He will then give the cup to the couple and they will both drink from the cup. The wine symbolizes two lives becoming one new life. This tradition is called Nissu’in. This gift was not only for his mother and disciples. It was also a gift to the couple and everyone in their life to see the seven other blessings in their marriage.
(John 4)We then see Jesus heal an official’s son. We don’t know if this was the official’s only child. What we do know is that lineage is important. We all desire the gift of offspring. The gift of a man’s child healing from sickness is one of the biggest gifts a father can receive.
(John 5) Jesus goes over to the healing pool of Bethesda. There were sick people seeking healing and getting into the pool to be healed. What we now know about healing waters and the power of radiation in hot springs, was not well understood at the time. Jesus told a lifelong paralytic to, “Get up, take your bed, and walk”. The love of Christ healed the man and the man believed he was healed by Christ and not by the world. This gave hope to many. I am not saying that your faith will make you healed of all sickness in your life. What I am saying is that there is healing that comes from Christ alone. You may die from a sickness. That does not mean you must have a lack of faith. The Word Never says that. The healing of this man led to the faith of many. The faith of you in sickness may lead to the faith of many. We don’t get to decide the Lord’s will. The Lord’s love is steadfast in sickness and in health.
(John 6) The Lord feeds 5000. The Lord shows that he can take something so small and do great things with it. He loved by feeding people that were open to listening to him. People that were seated before him ate!
(John 6) The disciples got on a boat in the sea of Galilee. Now the sea is huge at 64 sq miles and about 140 ft deep. This is no lake. The sea got rough and if a wave takes the boat, they would all surely die. Jesus just walks up to them and the sea is calm, and they are near the coast. Jesus loved them by comforting them and showing them that he subdues the world by his will. He is the one that calms the storms.
(John 9) Jesus heals a blind man. The Lord tells his disciples, “It is not out of sin that this man is blind but rather that the works of God may be displayed in him”. It is not sin! It is to show the works of God. The gifts of God!!
(John 11) Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead. Jesus waited a few days before he went to give his gift. Some lost faith or judged the Lord’s gift. It wasn’t good enough. It wasn’t what they wanted. They wanted him to prevent the death, not bring him back. Then Jesus wept. He shed tears. We don’t know if the tears were for the lack of love that they had for Jesus or because of the death of Lazarus. I know that when someone shows their lack of love for us by not believing us or not believing in us, it hurts. It cuts us deep in a way that can take a long time to repair. We may strive for them to believe in us by showing actions. However, we can not force anyone to believe in us and the Lord chooses not to force us to believe in him. That would not be love.
(John 19) Jesus gives up himself for us. The ultimate sacrifice and gift. His life for ours. With this gift Jesus gave us himself forever. This is a gift that can never be rescinded. The last gift that Jesus physically gave his Disciples was his excruciating death. This last thing was not considered one of the “Seven Miracles” However it was a miracle. There is no way that it wasn’t. His generous gifts were all perfect and according to his will even if they were not seen that way. Even if some were seen as a necklace that wasn’t good enough. Could they have loved him for who he was and not for his gifts?
Do you love the Lord for his generosity or for who he is?
Do you pray for blessings or do you pray to be in one accord with the Lord?
Do you spend time in the word to check off a box or to learn more about the Lord?
Grace & Peace
-Chorley
P.S.
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