Heart of the Father: A Devotional From Ryan EllisSample

Scripture:

"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." - 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Devotional:

1 Corinthians 13:4-8. Love. This verse and these words changed my whole perspective on losing my son, Asa. Hearing this, and praying over these words got me through an incredibly difficult chapter of my life.

While I was watching this movie with my family called Apostle Paul, there is a scene where Timothy visits Paul in his jail cell and asks how to love the Romans who have been killing their people. In the midst of Timothy’s confusion, Paul simply stands up in his cell and cites 1 Corinthians 13. As I sat there and listened with my family, I was brought to tears. It ruined me. And it was at that moment I knew what my key prayer for my season of loss was supposed to be - one of love. 

I remember I distinctly heard God say, “This is your prayer for Asa. You don’t have to pray for healing, you don’t have to pray for miracles." Instead, I was to come into the studio each day with the perspective on the love in which Paul speaks, and this quickly became the blueprint to my songs. It served as a reminder that love suffers long and it grieves. Yes, it hopes all things and it believes all things -- but love from the Father is also patient through the entire grieving process. His heart towards us as his children is one of never-ending love. The type that provides hope and comfort during the hard seasons of our lives.

Prayer:

Lord, Thank you for your love that never fails me. When times are hard, you choose to stand with me in my grief and comfort me in your arms. You demonstrate the love of a Father so effortlessly and you carry me through the hard seasons of my life by providing hope for what is to come. You go before me as a blueprint to my life and lay a path of love that I will choose to follow. I pray my voice forever rings the love you offer to us. Amen.