Your writing and painting friend also speaks. Click to listen and watch.
Just after the first of the year I had an e-mail exchange across the country with an old friend—a person who had been once my boss, always a mentor, and still an encouraging influence.* In that e-mail he shared with me his life goals, something he updates yearly.
At the top of his list was a detailed paragraph on love. It was beautiful. He asked me to keep it confidential, personal as it was, but I told him it was worth publishing in every newspaper nationwide. It would help a lot of people.
I was reminded of the talk I’d recently given on the same topic. I don’t get asked to speak that often these days, but when a local church suddenly had a need they called me and I stepped in. They video taped it. So, as we were on the same topic, I shared the link to the sermon with my friend. This is what he wrote back:
Hyatt, today I listened to your message on Love. I see why you said we are thinking alike. I identified with it very much, except you have taken it to a new level of understanding.
You have developed this in a most practical way. I am moved even more than ever that love is what it is all about. The message is the best thing I have heard on this passage since Henry Drummond’s little treatise on it I read 60 years ago while in college.
He planted the seeds that love is the “summa bono,” a truth that laid dormant in my soul for too many years but began to spring to life as I got older and even may show some signs of bearing fruit these many years later.
I love the way you presented it, your style, vintage Hyatt. I love it.
I will listen to this again and again and then again because it is a truth I want to grow deep in.
You need to keep talking, writing, living it out as you are doing and sharing it with the rest of us.
There it is. Like I said, an encouraging friend. We should all have one like that.
Or be one.
I invite you to check out the message for yourself, just click on the picture at the top. Or click here.
You’ll need a little time. You can always start it now and finish it later.
Let me know if it speaks to you.
_________
* Bernie May, a man of many distinctions, and was President of Wycliffe Bible Translators USA before I took over from him, years ago.
PS By now you may have noticed I tend to make up words. Let me know if you hear the one that “appeared” in the message.
Next: Jesus After Breakfast. Coming Tuesday.
Our Lives Together
Its About Life
10:28 am
Dear Hyatt,
This is so eloquently and meaningfully stated. And I believe you are right….Love is the greatest force on earth.
Thank you for sharing it with us. I, for one, am enriched.
All my best,
Mary
P.S. And I did hear the invented word…I think. Will tell later.
11:04 am
Hyatt,
Thank you so much. I will share this: first with my own heart and then with others. Not many people I know can speak of St. Paul and Billy Holiday in the same sermon.
You are blessed, phil
11:05 am
To our beloved Hyatt! I just love the way you listen so well to God speaking right to you as He does with each of us, if we let Him. Isn’t it amazing how He can do this personally with each of us——— like each of us were just His own, His only child. This question, “DO YOU?” will have a lasting effect on me and how I live my life. “Thank you, God, for your love pouring out from Hyatt and feeding us, Lord—— your sheep! He has accomplished your wishes! Thank you, Dad, that I can accomplish your wishes too in my life, again, You right through me! Anyone can have this! Amazing!! Beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! “Beauty,” Hyatt! True Beauty Hyatt! I am eternally grateful! Thank you for sharing! Love Lisa
1:24 pm
Hyatt, this is one of the best posts yet… Not simply wonderful to hear/watch/listen to you, but to hear God’s truths pouring forth in such common English! And then, to read Bernie May’s message–who is one of Pat’s all-time special people… what a blessing! Thank you for sharing this with the world!
3:09 pm
I love this message – and shared it already on my blog – I need to hear it again. love, sue
7:47 pm
A big topic to speak on. The danger of a familiar passage is that we stop really hearing the message with our heart.
I was particularly struck by the fact that being pessimistic, or not hopeful, is not loving. It never occurred to me that way. Funny how you turn the painting upside down and all of a sudden you start seeing the painting in a new light. I was born an Eeyore (or so I think!) now THAT has me thinking!
The comforting fact is we love because He first loved us, Eeyore or not! There’s hope for me.
10:07 am
Dear Son and Father of Hyatt, one of the ways God reaches me is through your authenticity. I will be sharing your love message, for sure. God bless you today.
5:18 pm
Dear Hyatt,
As we sat and talked last night after dinner here in our home, the Old Vicarage of St. John’s Episcopal Church, Toledo, Oregon, you told Michael and I to look and listen to your “sermon about love” on your blog which I dutifully did today after returning from mass at St. Mary’s Catholic Mission church, in Siletz. None of us could have forseen how very appropriate the subject you presented is to my Women’s Spirituality group study last week of a book by Sister Melannie Svoboda called “Traits of a Healthy Spirituality” chapter on Love, Page 69. God’s love shone through you Hyatt in your talk. I sent the link to the women in the Spirituality group.
Judy Gibbons
3:27 pm
Having just finished listening to “Love…the Greatest…” your words and delivery leave me contemplative. Why do I let fear overtake love? Why do I take love for granted and not recognize it each day? If it is the strongest force in the universe, why does it seem missing in this world (hmmm…THIS world)? Thank you Hyatt -if love is to grow it takes words like yours to remind us / me that God’s love does not fail, is always there. Everyone should take the time to hear, contemplate, and feel this love. You can not imagine how much I needed to be reminded of this these past few days.
3:44 pm
Deep Truth there, Hyatt. Thank you.
10:19 pm
Hyatt, your message was like one of those heat-seeking missiles that stealthily tracks its prey through prevaricating maneuvers. Steadily progressing, the weapon closes the distance and with deft finality strikes a lethal love-blow to any hope of duplicity or pretense of the heart.
It is a wise man who always leaves his listeners with a decision to make about Jesus. Unless your audience had their fingers in their ears as a by-product of pride – or dullness – in thinking they already know this stuff (because after all they are Christians and they sit in church every Sunday) you “lovingly” painted them into a corner, so to speak. What WILL you do with Jesus?
The scriptures say that He will come back for His Bride. I take to heart the challenge to be a beautiful bride, passionately IN LOVE with the Lover who gave His all for me. Ours will not be an “arranged” marriage. I was guilty of the whole list too — until His love covered over all my sins. Arghh…those sins that so easily beset us. But since truly taking Him at His Word – that He forgives ALL (I think He really meant ALL) my sins and heals ALL my diseases, I’m now walking in grace without a criminal past! What an incredible life this is with His love – the most powerful force in the whole universe. And oh yes!!! I agree. It is a very practical, but wildly and wonderfully unpredictable, LIFE.
9:17 am
Hyatt,
I was asked when a young girl, what was my favorite word. Without hesitation, I said “love”. Often over the years, I tried to think of another word, when asked the same question but it was always ‘love’. Thank you for taking it a step deeper and reminding me of that the power of love
casts out fear. I enjoyed your presentation very much. So natural and obviously meaningful.
6:00 pm
Your talk on love and the love that God has for each of us was extremely moving to me Hyatt. It actually brought tears to my eyes, heart and touched my entire soul. I agree with your friend who wrote to you and said: “I will listen to this again and again and then again because it is a truth I want to grow deep in.” I too want this for myself, so I will also listen again and again to your wise words with Jesus daily in my heart and mind. Thank you for your wonderful words that you shared…..you have an enormous gift to give to others. You can’t know how much this has meant to me personally. Thank you so much Hyatt.
7:54 pm
Randy & I listened to this together and enjoyed it immensely. Thank you for your fresh insight. Sometimes there are passages that are so familiar to us that we don’t really hear the message any more. I’ve forwarded this link to some friends I think will appreciate it. Thanks again for sharing your gifts.
3:56 pm
Hyatt, I remember 2 things from this message when I heard it the first time. Love, the most powerful force in the universe is also something we can practically apply daily to our lives. Secondly, love is not on the extreme spectrum of like. But it’s a decision to love. But I’m still really glad God likes me too! Thanks Hyatt. Welcome home.