"There is no fear in love, but perfect love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror. For fear brings with it the thought of punishment, and so he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love [is not yet grown into love's complete perfection]." I John 4:18This morning, I was praying for God to fill me with Love. I had been reading Gibran's, "Jesus, Son of Man" earlier. I read the chapter called, "Rafca, the Bride of Cana." When I asked God to fill me with His Love, my mind immediately pictured one of those wine pots at the wedding of Cana where Jesus performed his first miracle. Do you think the water that Jesus turned into wine tasted so much better than the other wine because this wine was made of Pure Love?
I felt God asking me what kind of love I wanted Him to put into the wine carrying vessel. Some words came to me...
Jewels--when the precious gems flowed into the pot, the fake ones had to go
Hope--when hope overflowed the pot, the despair spilled over the edge
Love--when love came and filled the vessel, there was no room for hate
Peace--the peace flowed in and the turmoil dissipated
Mercy--the blood flowed and the judgment stopped
Sweetness--the sweeter the wine, the less the bitter taste
Fragrance--the sweeter the wine, the better the perfume
There were actually 10 words, but I can only remember some of them. I loved being pictured as a vessel to carry wine. A vessel to carry the very Spirit of Jesus...
(This painting was done in 1266 A.D. by Giotto di Bondone)
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