Laurie

Written on Our Hearts

 

Meditations in Motion
Hibiscus

 

“Anything that leaves you more fearful, more isolated, more disconnected from other people, more full of judgment or self-hatred is not of God, does not follow the rule of love- and you should stop doing it.” – Mark Yaconelli

In Japan, the hibiscus symbolizes the immortality of love.

God connects, restores, purifies, waits.

God is light, holy, pure, faithful.

The love of God is written on our hearts.

Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. – 1 John 4:8

 

Linking with Cee’s FOTD Challenge, Welcome Heart for Let’s Have Coffee, Worth Beyond Rubies, Amelia Gilliand for Words That Inspire, Kristin Hill Taylor for Porch Stories, Lyli Dunbar for Faith on Fire, Debbie at Dare 2 Hear, Reflections From Me for A Blogging Good Time, Random-osity for Little Things Thursdays, Crystal Storms for Heart Encouragement, Knit by God’s Hand for Thankful Thursdays, Rachel Marie Lee, Just a Second for Scripture and a Snapshot, Peabea Photography for Sunday Scripture Blessings, A Spirit of Simplicity for Selah, and Woman to Woman Ministries for Word Filled Wednesdays.

Please click on the following link to read more funny or inspirational one-liners. One-Liner Wednesday.

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43 comments

  2. And the Law of God is also written on our hearts, which is a glorious truth because we no longer obey out of compulsion but out of our own heart’s desire.
    Thanks, Laurie, for good words and lovely images!

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  5. I love that line from Mark Yaconelli. Interesting about the hibiscus. I should know more about flowers than I do because my dad was a florist all his life. One of my regrets is that I didn’t talk to him more about them.

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  7. How intriguing that the Japanese have chosen the hibiscus as a symbol of love’s immortality, as it’s a flower that lasts only hours once it’s picked — it reminds me of the lyrics to the old Linda Ronstadt song, “Love Is A Rose”: love is a rose/ but you better not pick it/ it only grows/ when it’s on the vine. 🙂

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  17. Thank you Laurie, a beautiful and clear message, as ever. It’s a little clarity to combat all of the jumbled up chaos that is life! #ablogginggoodtime

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  20. I’ve learned something today! 🙂

    (Symbol of immortal love).

    Such a beautiful example you have – and i have never known a hibiscus to grow indoors before? I have 3 trees all over 12 feet high at the side of my drive and my driveway is covered in the dropped pink and red flowers every morning, as you say, each individual bloom does not last long! Fortunately they are prolific bloomers and i can enjoy their flowers for months at a time. I saw a light pink one this morning that was easily 9 inches in diameter! 🙂

    It is a sad truth of humanity that while God’s Love may be written on our hearts there are still those who either cannot, or chose not to, read and understand what is written there and instead follow their own ‘Law’, or their idea of what ‘love’ is for them.*

    I heard on the radio today that an 80 year old Catholic priest from Perth managed to avoid a jail term after admitting to sexually abusing a 14 year old girl in his care over 50 years ago while he was her parish priest. Many years later he donated $4000 to her and her family to help them deal with their trauma.

    I just can’t understand how the God’s Love thing works for such people? What does someone deserve for inflicting a lifetime of trauma and mental distress on young girls and boys? Man’s law seems to have forgiven him his sin, so surely God must also? I struggle with such matters. 😦

    * In that vein i reread my blog’s creed (1 Cor 13) the other day and i fail at almost every aspect of what Love really is. I’m not a ‘good’ lover. 😦

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    • Sadly, the only type of hibiscus that will survive outside where I live is a Rose of Sharon. I have one of those outside and 2 orange hibiscuses inside. Your hibiscus sounds beautiful!

      So true that, while God’s love may be written on the heart of every person, not everyone listens to their heart. I have trouble understanding such things too, but I take a cue from my Amish neighbors. They immediately forgive all transgressions. There was an incident a few years ago when a madman took 10 Amish girls hostage at their 1-room school. He shot them all, killing 5 of them, then committed suicide. The first thing the Amish community did was to state their forgiveness of the gunman. They took the gunman’s widow under their care and ministered to her and her children. They are amazing and an inspiration.

      We are all imperfect. All we can do is to keep trying to give love, forgiveness, and compassion!

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      • I agree – forgiveness is for the benefit of the forgivee, not the forgiven. Keeping hate for someone inside you for what has already happened and cannot be changed hurts us far more than not forgiving someone does the evildoer.

        The Amish are indeed an exceptional group and have largely perfected Christ’s admonishment to ‘turn the other cheek’ that is in very short supply, not least in your country (and it has to be said, is increasingly obvious in our news reports also). 😦

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