Holding my breath

Dear Friends

I have been holding my breath for a week, hoping the Dodgers would win the World Series. I happily exhaled and celebrated last night when they did. Now I will be holding my breath for another week, hoping that we will elect a new president on Nov. 3^rd. But I also must be prepared that the current one (Lord have mercy) could be re-elected!

So while I am holding my breath, I have to also focus on the fact (and Good News) that God is holding me and will continue to hold me no matter the results. Love is the winning strategy now and love will continue to be, no matter what.

A contemporary paraphrase of 1 Corinthians 13 (from The Message by Eugene Peterson) includes these phrases:

Love never gives up.

Love cares more for others than self.

Love doesn’t strut, doesn’t have a swelled head.

Isn’t always “me first”.

Doesn’t fly off the handle or keep score of the sins of others.

Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth.

Always looks for the best.

Never looks back but keeps going to the end.

But for right now, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation:

Trust steadily in God

Hope unswervingly

Love extravagantly

 

And the best of the three is love.

 

Lord, help me keep these words in heart and mind while holding my breath.

But I’d really like to be able to exhale and celebrate next Tuesday night!

John