2nd Sunday in Lent

Read Romans 12:9-18

Don't just pretend that you love others; really love them. Hate what is wrong. Stand on the side of good. Love each other with brotherly affection and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy in your work but serve the Lord enthusiastically.

Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and prayerful always. When God's children are in need, you be the one to help them out. Romans 12:9-13 (TLB)

Christy Bass Adams lives in Florida. When her husband was diagnosed with cancer last October, Christy was suddenly more aware of life's finite timeline. Her husband's next breath wasn't guaranteed. But, then again, neither was hers.

Over the years, Christy has heard countless stories from friends and family who wished their last words with a loved one had been different. Some parted in disagreement, frustration, or silence. Others spent a lifetime waiting to hear, "I love you." from a mother, father, grandparent, or sibling.

With her husband's cancer diagnosis, Christy felt compelled to start saying, "I love you," not only to her family but also to her friends. Now she is that friend who moves in first for the hug. She says, "I love you," as she embraces them. She yells it across parking lots. She says it on the phone. She types it in texts. She never wants her family and friends to wonder how she feels. Every chance she gets she says, "I love you."

More important, she tells her friends and family that God loves them. She speaks of God's mercy and grace. She reminds them that God is always good and that God is the reason that she ends her conversations with "I love you."

Prayer: Dear God, thank you for loving us and teaching us the importance of loving others, in Jesus' name. Amen.