Happy Valentine's Day

This morning was my turn to lead staff devotions and it wasn’t hard to choose a topic.

L-O-V-E
Defined: 1 Cor. 13:4-8a
God’s Displayed: Eph. 1:3-10
We can now love because He first loved us.
Story of Elizabeth Payson Prentiss: “Frequently an invalid and almost never without pain… Heard a sermon on Christ’s ability to save unto the uttermost… Gave [her]self up to admire, to love and to praise Him, to wonder why [she] had never done so before, and to hope that all the great congregation around [her] were joining with [her] in acknowledging Him to be chief among ten thousand and the One altogether lovely… Married… Her son died… Her third child died… She cried… ‘Our home is broken up, our lives wrecked, our hopes shattered, our dreams dissolved…’ Husband’s counsel… ‘But it is in times like these that God loves us all the more, just as we love our children more when they are sick or troubled in distress…’ Wrote the hymn ‘More Love to Thee’… at her funeral… Revelation 14:13 and Hebrews 6:10 were read.”

Hymn “More Love to Thee”:

More love to thee, O Christ, More love to thee!
Hear thou the prayer I make On bended knee;
This is my earnest plea:
More love, O Christ, to thee, More love to thee, More love to thee!

Once earthly joy I craved, Sought peace and rest;
Now thee alone I seek, Give what is best;
This all my prayer shall be:
More love, O Christ, to thee, More love to thee, More love to thee!

Then shall my latest breath Whisper they praise;
This be the parting cry My heart shall raise;
This still its prayer shall be:
More love, O Christ, to thee, More love to thee, More love to thee!

…

After I shared, Director asked if I would speak in chapel. By the grace of God, I did. Pray that the students, the staff, even I would know the love of God and Christ and that we would excitedly love Him and others in return.

…

Classes are going…

Pray for my Junior APs and my Senior Regulars as they have to recite a Scripture passage from memory next Thursday. Pray that they practice, practice, practice. And that God’s truth would be emblazoned on their hearts.

Pray for my Sophomores as we continue to study Paul’s letters. They have their test on 1st and 2nd Corinthians tomorrow. Pray that they come, that they don’t ditch, that they don’t cheat, that they study. And, again, that God’s Truth would be written forever on their hearts and minds.

Pray for my Senior APs as they have a lot of work to do and a lot of information to learn before they can graduate in May. Pray that God gives them a new sense of drive and determination to finish off their high school years to the best of their abilities.

Pray for my Junior Regulars. They are doing fairly well in class and, I believe, are learning a lot. They will have their first recitation in front of the class next week though. Pray for fears to subside and enjoyment to transpire.

And pray “More love, O Christ, to thee! More love to thee! More love to thee!”