A Legacy of Love – Keona J Tann

“Love one another, Jesus said. Sometimes it took a lifetime to learn how.” Francine Rivers

Wouldn’t it be nice if it didn’t take our entire lifetime to learn?I wonder if we could learn how to truly love others before we cause too much destruction?

C.S. Lewis declares: “I do not expect old heads on young shoulders.”

But I wonder if we can learn before it’s too late? Sometimes we cannot see the wake of destruction we leave behind, other times we are forced to walk through the wreckage of our lives over and over again.  Sometimes we cannot see the wounds our words leave upon the hearts of others, other times we wander amongst the tattered pieces of another’s heart and see all too clearly the mess we’ve made.

The past of the pain can be left behind, Jesus promises us that. Of course, there are consequences we must endure for awhile, but only fleetingly because God is all about redemption and He promises to give us beauty for ashes, to make all things work for good by making ALL things beautiful in their time.

The regrets of what could have been must be thrown upon the altar and strength will be given to rebuild something new and more beautiful than ever imagined. We can choose right now, today, this very moment, to stop the destructive patterns from repeating and with God’s help we can be the brand-new creatures He desires us to be, those who love deeply, openly and without bitterness or reservation.

We can be people who love with open arms, holding those we love dearly close, but not too close that we suffocate them. My mother has taught me this, but I never knew it. I didn’t realise until this moment.

She has loved me so passionately and yet given me two feet to stand upon. She never pushed me out of the nest, rather she has supported me every single step of the way. Of course, she worried and offered advice when she was concerned, but never one did she clip my wings. She has let me fly close to the sun and become burnt by its harshness and soothed my wounds with aloe each time. The loves she longed for, she has lavished upon me and I am SO very grateful for it!

The legacy I long to leave is to build upon what my mother has gifted me with – LOVE.

I desire to show others how to love as she has taught me to and as Jesus wants us to.

I pray that those who are here now (my children), and those to come, will provide their love as a safe place for others to take shelter in. That they will cherish and adore those people God places in their lives, never worrying about how much time they have together, but rather embracing each moment knowing it is a priceless gift.

I pray that those after me with have their hearts SO full of God’s great love that they impact the world around them by being beacons of HOPE!

Let love rule their hearts, oh Lord I pray, let it be the beautiful prize that they run for with all of their hearts!
After all it is the greatest!
Lord You have lavished Your love upon me and surrounded me with Your goodness and kindness. Let Your love be like ripples upon a pond, may they wash over all those that are around me.

Jesus Your Love is a strong and might tower
For Your Love is a shelter like no other
Nothing has the power to save, like Your Love
Nothing has the power to change us, like Your Love
Nothing has the power to motivate us, like Your Love

Many blessings, Keona.

NOTES:

Quotes from:
– Rivers, Francine. Her Daughter’s Dream. United States of America: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2010.
– C. S. Lewis from A-Z Quotes referencing “The Screwtape Letters”
“After all it is the greatest!” was inspired by The Passion Translation footnote for 1 Corinthians 13:13: “Faith and hope both spring from love, which makes love the greatest virtue of all.”
“Your Love” section is inspired by the song “Your Name” by Paul Baloche or Craig & Dean Phillips, you can listen to the song via YouTube.