Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. As the sun rose in the morning sky it was as if the Living God was filling me up with Joy and Gratitude with the same sweetness, the same beauty, and the same magnificence as the sun and I smiled as I felt Him bless me with this heavenly “good morning”. I stepped out onto the front porch this morning with a mind cluttered with things that need to be accomplished today, but by the time my God was done with me, all I can think about is Love. Nothing on my list of things to do is as important as Serving the King, and nothing on the list should earn its place in my mind and my Heart where He belongs. Isn’t that the way Love is supposed to be?

Love brings out the very best in us and it’s the Greatest gift of all. It’s love that causes us to think of another more than we think of ourselves, and it’s love that gives us a burn to serve them with no expectation of return. It’s love that allows us to turn the other cheek when we’ve been wounded despite the pain, and it’s love that defines our forgiveness. It’s love that allows us to embrace another for who they are and not for what we want them to be. It’s love that grants us patience and it’s love that allows us to relinquish control. It’s love that prompts us to sacrifice our own wants and our own needs to please another. It’s love that opens our eyes to the pain of another, and it’s love that guides us to ways to ease it. It’s love that can keep us awake through the night with thoughts and prayers for another, and it’s love that prevents the Heart from forgetting. It’s love that stings the heart and feeds the tears, and it’s love that paints a smile on even the most downcast face. It’s love that can change a life, and it’s love that can open the door to eternal life. Without love, everything else is just going through the motions and without love, nothing can be long-lasting. “The greatest of these is love”.

My to-do list for this new day is still in place and (hopefully) all of those things will still be accomplished today BUT my list has now been Prioritized by the King. The Love that I have for Him has been Refreshed and Revived and my Heart is shining right along with the morning sun. The most important thing I can do today is to be a Reflection of the Love and Compassion of Jesus Christ – and everything else will pale in comparison. When my Heart overflows with Love for my God, my Father, my Redeemer, my Provider, and my Rock it’s a piece of cake to Share Unconditional Love with the world around me. Without Love, I am nothing and my life has no meaning at all…and without a voice laced with Love, the lost world will turn a deaf ear to the Greatest Message of Love I have to share.

I’m armed and ready for this new day and I know that loving others will be my Biggest Priority no matter the circumstances that surround those I encounter. If I have a weak moment and I am inclined to whine about how I’m being treated, I’ll think about how Christ was treated when He died for me. If I’m insulted and “slapped” around about my Faith, I’ll think about how Jesus was beaten and mocked when He died for me. If I encounter one that is not so easy to love today, I’ll think about how Jesus found me loveable enough to die for even when I didn’t Know Him. If I am betrayed by a friend today, I’ll think about how Jesus was betrayed by a “friend” before He died for me but He never stopped loving. If people chose to watch me suffer instead of coming along to help, I’ll think about all those people who had a front-row seat to watch my Savior suffer too – and yet, He cried out “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do” when as He died on the Cross. The Greatest of ALL things is Love. After my Time in His Presence this morning, I’m ready to Follow His lead and to Love as much like Him as I possibly can. He’s a “tough act to Follow” but He’s equipped me with everything I need to Follow Him with Excellence…as long as I focus on His Love.

How about you?