Okay, soo It has been said, "Be careful what you ask for, cause you just might get it."
To that I'd reply, "Be careful what you pray for, cause God just might reveal it!"
For the past few months, I've really been yearning to know God more. To discover more of him while fulfilling less of me. What is love? What are we really called to do? How far does God's love stretch? What is love with no boundaries? How does God really feel about certain situations and what does God really desire from me?
Love. This reoccurring theme that God smacks me in the face with over and over. I think about Christ's sacrifice. Jesus really was awesome. Seriously, he was the coolest person ever. And then at times I look at the church, and us so called Christians and all the conflicts we seem to have. How we tend to be so harsh and judgmental. Somebody slips up one time or says something we don't agree with and we begin to question their relationship with God or feel as if they are no longer capable of serving or representing Christ. It's outrageous, and I'm not satisfied with it.
Since I have been little I've heard the statement, "Love the sinner, hate the sin." As remarkably intelligent as it sounds, and although it has good intentions, I think it is seriously flawed. For so long I've agreed with it, at least until God revealed how arrogant I was allowing myself to be. "Love the sinner, hate the sin" actually is not found anywhere in the Bible. Jesus put it this way, "Love the sinner; hate your own sin." Until you've taken care of all the sin in your own life, you have no room to address the sin in others lives. Wow, this was huge for me. And yet, in all of our grossness, filth and sin, God still find's worth and sees potential in our lives despite what others may think.
Seriously, Black Eyed Peas had something right when they wrote their song, Where is the Love?
...And exactly why is this Gospel of Love Diving America? Have we loss connection with the truth of Grace and Mercy that God Offers?
Wow, the Church, I'm often a bit disappointed lately at it's attempts to satisfy itself. To meet the needs within and fail to address the lost and dying. We beat ourselves up over arguments about who is qualified to serve on certain committees or how particular groups should be ran. After all, Church should be about lifting one another up, living in fellowship and focused solely on giving to the poor, and loving the lost.
Okay, so it probably seems like I'm venting, and although I may be, I feel like God is allowing me to see what really matters and what true Christianity is about. It isn't governed by particular rules. It does not stumble or avoid what it does not understand nor is comfortable with. Love truly has no bounds. Absolutely "Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ."
God is huge and his love, immeasurable. It has no limits. It is patient and kind. It does not envy. It does not boast and is not proud. It reaches to the lost and clothes the poor.
This is the love that I want and the love that I'm commanded to give.
Through all this, I'm learning to shift my prayers from.. "God meet this need in my life" or "Show me who I should date so that I can be satisfied" or "God allow me to have a comfortable and stress-free week" to "God give me a heart for the afflicted and defenseless" or "God allow me to put your desires above mine"or "God burden my heart for the needy".
God desires our love. He wants us to be satisfied with Him and Him with us. He wants us to understand that he loves all people and desires that we live a life that brings glory to Him. It is so complicatedly simple.
God is huge. Bigger than the issues we face and the complexities we can't understand. His love limitless, it knows... no boundaries.
"I wanna be your hands and feet. I wanna be your voice every time I speak. I wanna run to the ones in need, In the name of Jesus. I wanna give my life away, all for your kingdoms sake. Shine a light in the darkest place, In the name of Jesus." --Fee
