As I was reading about Grandma Clara Michael’s Grandma (we call her Gigi) came to mind. You see she didn’t have this great wonderful life that everyone in America dreams about. But her life was full of God’s “blessings”. He took her through many years being married to the same cantankerous man…blessing her and helping her through the hard times, he took her through having 6 wonderful children (losing two to stillborn, twins….but there was a third not known about who was alive underneath, her sixth “miracle” baby) who some of her children gave her a terrible time as children and teens (drugs, alcohol, teen pregnancy….you name it), losing a son to cancer last year, losing a husband to sickness….but through all this (and so much more) there is such a peace and joy about her. She rolls through life full of love for others, full of encouraging words for others….her house full of tapes, books, and her marked up bible that she reads so often, prayer notes, knowing she prays often….she is alone in her little basement “palace” and she is a blessing to all who know her. She sends letters out to her family so often, sending bibles out to the children, sending cards out to celebrate special occasions…she to me epitomizes “true love” for the Savior. She lives in that Love for the Savior…she didn’t get through all this out of love for herself, or even love for her family…..that wouldn’t have given her joy when they failed and hurt her often….but it was that LOVE for the Savior…….oh how I long to fall deeper in love with you Christ that I would give all to be close to you, be near you, not be satisfied for a second to be apart from you….I feel the love growing, and praise God for it…..because it is from GOD!!!
The past chapter God was bringing me to a place to focus on “love” and here it is reaffirming this idea. That if I get lost in “trying harder” its no longer about love….because when we’re filled with his love for others for Him….there is no need to try harder because his love envelops us, overflows in us and is just an outpouring to others of what is already happening within our hearts…so this love that I am realizing is the most important thing should be something we feel each day, but go to God for refueling, strengthening, seeking what he would have for us in blessing others with that outpouring of His love for others. Many times in my life my focus has been shifted onto me, making it all about what I can do to be better, what I can do to help God (as if he needs my help), but never thinking about just loving him, having so much faith in him that I don’t need to stress and worry about things, he is my existence…through good and bad times, always thanking him because he is teaching me, and refining me, and actually growing more love in me so I can see and encourage others when they go through similar things….our very lives is God’s ministry, its in all those “small” things that show his love for others…but always going back to his Love….because our earthly love surely isn’t enough…..it’s limited, its conditional, its just not God’s best…..and of coarse his best would be HIS LOVE!!!
The word bondage stuck out to me, because most people in the world (many unknowingly) are living in bondage…they feel trapped, they feel lonely, they are hurting…..yet most don’t have the true Freedom of Christ because they aren’t really IN love with him….they believe in him (even Satan does) but they are not IN love with him…..so here we are…..saying we “love” him….but not loving the lost…..do we have the faith to reach out, that God CAN use us, that HIS love is enough…..if we believe his love is great, is deep, is everything we will ever need….why not?! Why not reach out, why not spread the love….we should long to do so…we should look for opportunities to do so….many say, “oh God will show me when and where” and she shall (though most don’t take him up on his offer) but missionaries who move off to Asia for instance aren’t just praying to come across someone they are seeking out the lost and lonely….are we not missionaries in our own neighborhoods, on our very streets, at our local Walmart….you know what I mean?! I have been praying about this, asking God to change my mind set to this….because my love for him is great, but to LOVE him IS to love OTHERS….ya know?!
Holy Spirit, asking him to fill us with more love for God and others….loving this, because this reminder is key! He moves in us, he leads us, he gives us help…..he is our helper (this is what the bible/God says about the Holy Spirit) so I need to take this HELP….cause hunny….I need all the HELP I can get!!! So, this is an aspect people many times look past or over (check out Francis second book Forgotten God, it’s all about the Holy Spirit and is AWESOME). So, I honed in on this because I need more help, and more wisdom, more guidance in serving Christ….what to do, what to say. Many times I talk myself out of things (satan helps me with this mindset) saying I need to spend more time in the word to share God with others, I need to know more scripture to share God with others…..excuses!!! Bottom line, God has changed my world, my life, and filled me with joy and love…..shouldn’t his great work in my measly life be enough?! Heck yeah!!! He’s done so much for me I could brag on him all day long to share his incredible love to others, the miracles he’s done, the God stories I have are numerous, his greatness is limitless….this love is meant to be spread and shared….but if we aren’t filled with his love…we’re lacking, and how can we share it if we don’t have it…..so lets run to the true source people, and yeah it takes his love to love him more….cause that’s the only true love there is!!!
So, heres the thing that I think gets a little confusing and misleading for the world to handle….you see many Christians make out Christianity to be all wonderful, and perfect, and full of blessings and great things….when it simply isn’t true. Yes, God gives us love and joy throughout, and peace that passes all understanding even amidst our troubles….but we HAVE troubles, and are going to have troubles, but it’s God in oru lives always at work getting us through each moment of every day…making good from evil, helping us to learn and still live and love with HIS love in the midst of great hardship…..this is what sets us apart….when the world says “this hurts I give up” Christians should be saying “I know it hurts, but keep going, keep growing, keep loving, keep seeking Gods face”…..we should also be saying “your hurting, what can I do to encourage you”, “can I pray with you” “I am praying for you (meaning you really are actually praying for them not some empty promise that means nothing)”, the list goes on but bottom life….we shouldn’t lie to others and say life will be great with Jesus at our side…..it is true, but they may believe it will be perfect….and the bible SO tells us otherwise, and its our deep love for Him and HIM for us that gets us through those times, even thanking him through those times….he has taught me a lot about thanking him in ALL things this past year, and its added joy to my life that I have never experienced before!
Thinking about Christians around the world, the ones who don’t even have the freedom to go to the church of their choosing, allowed to have a bible of their own….one they must keep hidden and secret, to sneak to church in some hidden place so as to worship God with others….wow! we say we “sacrifice” is just so minimal in our society of freedom….yeah we have those who dislike us due to God and his word, but its nothing compared to what others in China, and other countries in Asia are going through with having their churches burned, having their preachers arrested and/or beaten for preaching God’s word….the list goes on….but if you want to know more go to:
More than that our Lord and Savior…all that he did for us, all that he went through….because he loved us THAT much, and wants us to reciprocate that love….or Lord fill me with more LOVE for YOU….so wonderful you are to us, and oh what a blessing I want to be to you! Giving more then we think we can, and see what he will do….what a great but scary thought….knowing he can always give more, his resources are limitless….but it’s the letting go….realizing all is His….not worrying about funds for the next bill, but meeting the needs of those asking for help when and if needed…..God calls us to help others….not because they “deserve” it, but when we are called, to give, when we are asked, to give…not asking anything in return…but because this is what God has called us to do…spending time in prayer, going and doing as he leads. Funny how it always comes down to love, its all about his love isn’t it. No longer feeling like work, love blesses us beyond measure!
I love the ending prayer, the wanting more even when I don’t feel I want more…..out of love serving him, and when I don’t feel the love asking for it….because his power is limitless…..we can’t outgive, outlove, outthink God…..so giving all because of this love for him is all we can do right?! Running towards him who heartedly….no wasting time with the twinkies of sin….but running the great race, in the way he would have us because it’s all about LOVING him….it’s all about Him!
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