Love God Greatly

Kids often say what we adults are already thinking… but with words we wouldn’t dare let come out of our mouths.

“Why are they homeless? Don’t they have jobs? Daddy has a job…”

My husband had just walked in the door from delivering food to the homeless shelter across town. His family plus a generous spread of food was waiting at the table upon his return, as well as a host of questions that none of us really knew the answer to.

“Life is just hard sometimes, guys. We don’t really know what they’ve been through.”

His voice was quiet and reflective, and I noticed that he wasn’t touching his food. The visit had obviously impacted him in ways that he wasn’t yet able to verbalize. So instead of pretending to have answers that were nowhere within reach, he began talking about the people.

People just like you and me, really.

People with hunger. People with dreams. People who have experienced firsthand the harsh reality that life doesn’t always turn out how we planned. People who are ready for change but just don’t know how to get there. People who wish they could be free from the daily struggles that plague them but don’t really know where to start. People who need a whole lot less of themselves, and a whole lot more of Jesus.

Just that morning, I’m pretty sure I was hung up on my dated kitchen decor, my sketchy internet, and the fact that I need to lose ten pounds. Oh, how easily we become discontent and make our narrowed worlds all about us.

His tender words were directed towards our children, but God meant those words for me.

There is a world that is dying.

Across the globe, across town, and right on my very street. And we’re sitting at our tables in abundance, trying to decide if they’re worthy.

___________________

We weren’t worthy.

God knew the depth of our sin, but he gave his Son willingly. For the sin that had already flooded the earth, and for the sin that was yet to come. He didn’t insist that we clean ourselves up or check into rehab or work until we could earn our way.

No condemnation.

No discrimination.

No expectation of having it all together on our own.

He simply entered the darkness and gave, so that we might live. 

While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. ~ Romans 5:8

___________________

I don’t know who it is for you.

Maybe it’s a nation of hurting people half a world away, or maybe it’s the complete stranger you’ll run into later this week.

But this I know for sure: someone in your path – and in mine – needs light to shine in their darkness. 

Will we look at them with compassion in our eyes, or will we look away as we try to decide whether or not they’re worthy?

There is a world that is dying, and the medicine they need is Jesus.

Oh yes, it will take effort.

Probably, it will be messy.

Certainly, it will be costly.

Over and over, it will mean dying to self and all of the comforts we hold onto so tightly.

But by the grace of God because of our genuine love for God, we can intentionally {live in community} with our world.

Not because you or I or the world in any way is worthy…

But because Jesus is worthy.

Oh children of God, may we not look away…

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat,

I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink,

I was a stranger and you invited me in,

I needed clothes and you clothed me,

I was sick and you looked after me,

I was in prison and you came to visit me.

‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine,

you did for me.‘”

~ Matthew 25:35-36

Let’s enter the world and give, so that through Jesus they might live.

 At His feet,

*LET’S TALK: What is your biggest obstacle when it comes to shining your light in a dark world? Where is God calling YOU to shine?

WhitneyD

WhitneyD

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