Three Roses for Three Points

Three Roses for Three Points

It was Valentine’s day.  I had just returned home from doing my normal Wednesday Bible study at the assisted living center. This particular day we discussed the love of God.  Really, we let the Word talk about love.  We shared heart sugar cookies, and little paper hearts with Scripture references on them.  We read the scriptures out loud together, and shared the realness of His love.   What refreshment!  Such wealth.  Such richness.  I can only pray that we (Paul went with me that day) were as much of a blessing to them as they were to us!  

As we finished, Margie, a dear Pastor’s wife, and a resident at the center, asked if she could share a little story with us. As she opened her mouth, God spoke.

“One Valentine’s day, while out for a drive, my husband stopped at a little flower shop. He left the car without saying a word and went into the shop.  When he returned to the car, he gave me 3 red roses, and an attached hand written note bearing this message:

                                                “Faith ends in sight.

                                                Hope ends in fruition.

                                                But love endures beyond the grave into the boundless realms of                                                                    eternity.”"

                                                                                                      Mel Carter

                                                                                                      1929-1998

She laughed after telling this little store and reciting his words, and quickly added that she thought he was still thinking in terms of three points in a sermon, being he was a Baptist pastor in Dallas.

What a treasure to spend time with these people.  Beautiful vessels of God, filled with so much wisdom. And so many waiting for a few moments to share some love.

Yes, your faith ends. Just stops, if you can see what you are believing for.  And hope does end, and is no longer needed when it has been fulfilled.  But love…love is the greatest…it lasts for eternity. And so His church is being built.  We are building these relationships for eternity. 

“The love of God is greater far, than tongue or pen could ever tell.  It goes beyond the highest star, and reaches to the lowest hell…Could we with ink the ocean fill, and were the skies of parchment made; Were every stalk on earth a quill, and every man a scribe by trade; To write the love of God above, would drain the ocean dry; Nor could the scroll contain the whole, though stretched from sky to sky...  The love of God, how rich and pure! How measureless and strong! It shall forevermore endure—The saints’ and angels’ song.”  Lehman

…out of the great love with which He loved us.  Eph. 2:4