Daily Devotion - Tuesday, February 21

Where Is the Love?

“The Lord is good;
God’s steadfast love endures forever,
And faithfulness to all generations.”
--Lyrics from a Hebrew song (Psalm 100:5)

One of the frequent phrases in Hebrew hymnology is “the steadfast love of the Lord.” These ancient songwriters realized that the Holy One remains steadfast even when we choose to live rather self-centered lives. There is a wonderful book entitled, The Prophet, and in that text the writer observes:

“Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of life’s longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you.
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
for they have their own thoughts.”

Think about the really important gift that our children, our loved ones and our friends really want. My now “grown and on their own children” probably do not want to know my thoughts. If they do, they will ask. In the meantime, my non-ordered tasks are:
1. Assuring them that their father’s deep and endless love faithfully surrounds them and
2. Pointing them toward the “steadfast love of the Lord” that endures forever.

Authentically performing these two tasks is my personal challenge! If you care to “try on” these tasks, feel free to do so.

A prayer for today:
Loving God, may your love flow through me today and always. Amen.

--Ben Keckler
02.21.12