The Sacrifice of Love (based on Genesis 22)

Love like Jesus means suffering.
It means laying your self, your dreams and hopes on the altar day after day
It means taking God's promise and giving it back to Him, selflessly
It means recognizing that no person in the world is yours to hold on to
Trusting God to provide your every need,
    Walking by faith
Love like this is hard.
   Love that gives everything and expects nothing
   Love that always hopes, even in the deepest night
This love moves in faith, not feeling
It seems to care too much
   But the shallows are only stirred as by a whisper of a breeze
Love like this means accepting that
    People die, disease destroys, hunger cripples, disaster strikes, poverty cries...
                                        and God is still good.
Trusting that His sovereign plan is greater than mine
Trusting Him with the hearts and lives of those closest to me
Love like this means reaching out-
    Beyond my comfort beyond my circle-
    touching filthy and hopeless, hugging broken and sickly, serving the least,
    listening for the small unheard overlooked voice
                               ...and loving.
Love that requires so much-
    how is it possible?
How deep the Father's love for us
How vast beyond all measure
That He would send His only Son
and make this wretch His treasure
Let Him love you.
    Share His love-
          overflow with it.
Let love be the anthem of your life, song of your heart, and joy of your smile.
I am deeply, unconditionally, inexplicably. powerfully
    LOVED by my Jesus.
Abiding in Him, out of that truth, I love.
And His love never fails.
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& you should read 1 John 4:7-19

Clothed in Joy

Sometimes sunshine spills over into words. Or maybe Jesus just speaks joy through the black and white words that tell of Truth and Life... either way, my time with Him this morning was so very sweet. A cup of coffee and sunshine peeking through the blinds... and my Best Friend, reminding me of His timeless love through creased, worn, ink-stained pages...here's a glimpse into the Living Word as it comes alive in my heart and head...

A beggar slips through the duskiness before dawn, seeking something... hungry and thirsty for food and water, but even more so for love and peace... Tattered clothes hang loose and dark circles shadow hollow eyes.

Then a Voice: "Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come , buy wine and milk without money and without price."

Surely it's a trick. Nothing is free... especially not life-giving liquid such as milk and wine... and oh for a piece of bread! Too long have been the days since a full meal... full of busy-ness and tasks that leave one empty and drained at the end... with no money for anything, just a persistent hunger and an aching heart... Running here and there to help others and fulfill responsibilities... and wasting away until nothing but a shadow remains...

"Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; hear that your soul may live..."

Following the Voice, amazed at the accuracy it revealed in reading her heart... the beggar slips through the shadows into the light of the rising sun... knowing that a voice with such power must accompany the brilliance of the dawning light. Listening? Is that really all that's required to eat what is good?

The Light dazzles but eyes adjust, knees bend and heart cries... hungry so hungry. What beauty is this?

"...and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David. Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples. Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know, and a nation that did not know you shall run to you, because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you."

Faithful Lord. Tears fall and head lowers in humility and awe. Eyes find tatters that are new, whole garments, the filthy, ragged replaced by Grace. Love washes, renews.

The calling on one's life is not meant to distort the vision or define duties... it's meant to send you running to the Creator the Caller... direction for each step and every moment. When you cling to the call rather than Christ, the way is clouded and life becomes draining and dull.

"Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God for he will abundantly pardon."

I do not know the way, I do not understand. Overwhelmed and confused but trusting...

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it."

Filled, burden lifted... light shining everywhere with the fresh welcome of a new day... eyes that can now see the wildflowers on the hill and the veins in the leaves... grass dancing in the light breeze and ears open to the laughter and praise of creation... everything declares His name and the glory of His handiwork...

"For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall make a name for the Lord, an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off."

...and the beggar, transformed by the acceptance of Grace and clothed in Joy dances through the valley as a daughter of Christ... running with barefoot abandon after the One who sustains her soul.

This is my story, my heart, as I read Isaiah 55. So thankful for the indwelling Holy Spirit that sings of joy in the wilderness and light in the dark places.