Oxygen For The Soul

1 John 4:16: And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

God*s love is like oxygen for the soul. We need to receive it AND give it. Without it people seem to be dying a slow death. Sometimes it is not so slow. They are all around us, in stores, malls, restaurants, nursing homes, wherever we go. Some are young and some are old. They seem to have some kind of shell around them that keeps love out. It seems to be something that they cannot handle. Because it is kept out by their shell, there is none to come out of them either. They almost never smile. Or they smile when it is inappropriate. When you smile at them they think you are strange. They are almost always crabby. They almost always seem troubled and unhappy. Nothing seems to please them or satisfy them. It*s all about them. Some that I have known have had great wealth and health and every reason to be happy. But it all seemed to make them more miserable. Sometimes it is depressing even to just see them.

I think of a few I have encountered in nursing homes. One lady in particular was unhappy and restless for a number of years. A year or two ago someone gave her a doll. She showers kisses on that doll and holds it and hugs it. She tells it she loves it. And then she is content and smiles. She is not able to communicate very well so I do not know for certain that she is a Christian. I hope that she is. She has heard the gospel many times. When the invitation is given to receive Christ, she sometimes smiles excitedly and becomes animated. Sometimes she reacts that way when she has heard some other wonderful truth from the Bible. But whether she is a Christian or not, being able to love that doll has made a dramatic change in her. I don*t recall seeing her without it for a long time. I am glad that she has it.

Christians and unbelievers alike need to receive and give love. The more of God and His love we embrace and permit to flow out of us the better. Try it. You will be glad you did.

Care to discuss Oxygen For The Soul with Ron?

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