He Believes In Me

  Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. (I Corinthians 13:4-8a)

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, (Matthew 5:43-44)

 

            Years ago, I wrote about the I Corinthians passage and challenged myself and you to put the word “God” in the place of “love” and to add “to me,” “for me,” etc. I suggested we read it aloud, looking in a mirror, addressing ourselves. We were to note and pray about anywhere that we couldn’t tell ourselves about God’s love for us. Then I challenged us to put our names in the place of love, and to put someone else’s name in where we’d said “me” the first time.

            This time, I’m going to suggest we put the names of our enemies, or of political candidates we don’t like in the “me” spot. “I am patient with Kamala Harris/Donald Trump, etc. Yeah - tough.

            While that continuation of my thinking over the past couple of days needed to be said, I didn’t pick I Corinthians13 for that reason. I picked it because “always trusts.” Other translations say, “always believes.” Yesterday at work, “She Believes In Me,” came on the radio.  Here’s the link if you’d like to listen: She Believes In Me. And while our circumstances aren’t quite the same, it wouldn’t take much to make Kenny Rogers song our song.

I have prayed “God believes in me” before, but something about the idea caught my attention. God believes in me. He trusts me. He has faith in me. In me of all people. Try it several ways:

He believes in me.

He believes in me.

He believes in me.

While He sits waiting
I stumble to the kitchen for a bite
Then I see my old ______ in the night
Just waiting for me like a secret friend
And there's no end while He sits waiting

I fumble with a melody or two
And I'm torn between the things that I should do
And He says to visit when I am through
God, His love is true

And He believes in me
I'll never know just what he sees in me
I told Him someday if He was my God
I could change the world
With my little songs, I was wrong

But He has faith in me
And so I go on trying faithfully
And who knows maybe on some special night
If my song is right
I will find a way

While He waits
While He waits
For me