Several Sundays ago, Chad Chapman shared some thoughts with the congregation as part of his communion meditation.

I liked them and am highlighting some of his thinking with readers today.

Chapman talked about the 'love chapter' - 1 Corinthians 13 and how often we hear portions of it repeated at wedding ceremonies:

"Love is very patient, and kind, never jealous or envious, never boastful or proud, never haughty or selfish or rude. Love does not demand its own way. It is not irritable or touchy. It is never glad about injustice, but rejoices whenever truth wins out." (verses 5 & 6).

He continued, "So consider for a moment, that if we exchanged the word 'love' for 'God'? The verse would sound something like this:  "God is patient. God is kind. God does not envy; is not boastful, is not conceited, does not act improperly, is not selfish, is not provoked, and does not keep a record of wrongs. God finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth. God bears all things, believes all things, hope all things, endures all things."

Continuing, he said, "Let's take it one step further yet and add the words 'to me' in each phrase:  "God is patient toward me, God is kind to me" and so on. Got is teaching us how to love each other the way He loves us. Matthew 22:37, says, "Love the Lord, your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your mind." The greatest commandment. Next Jesus says, "Love your neighbor as yourself."

"In these odd and troubled times, I find myself not doing a very good job of loving all of God's people, he said, ""While we may disagree at times, we can always love one another, just like God loves us."

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Thank You, God, that You are so knowable. Thank You for the plans You have for each one of us. Thank You that You help us to know and live the lives You have for each one of us. Thank You that You are part of our every day lives and You help us. We can't pull off this thing called life without You. In Jesus' Name. Amen.