Why do we think that when we ask God to give us His eyes for the world, to give us His heart for the world, to move in our lives, to change our hearts we think He won't do it? Then when He does we are so surprised. Have you ever really prayed any of those things and expected God to actually do it? Maybe you have never thought to pray for it or maybe when you have you did it because it sounded nice at the time. But have you ever expected Him to come through on it? What if you meant it when you asked for His heart for the world? Do you believe God would give it to you?
I have prayed some of these things many times and some of the I definitely did not want God to come through on it. This week I asked God to show me His heart, and I really wanted Him to and I believed He would...but I was not expecting or prepared for what comes with His heart. You know the phrase "be careful what you wish for"? I have experienced a whole new meaning to it. When God shows you His heart you see the world differently. You love the world differently. You love people differently. He shows you the brokenness and it breaks your heart as it does His. I am so thankful that God showed me a piece of His heart this week, and that is just it...all He has shown me is a piece of it, meaning there is an infinite amount more that I cannot even fathom to see, and I am a brokenhearted mess. This world needs love, it needs people who will let Christ be the love in their life and touch those who are longing for something that they don't even know the need, something they don't even know exists. And the thing is that it's not only the world that we perceive as "poverty" or "third world" that needs this love. It's your neighbor right next door, your coworker, your classmate, your mom, your dad, your brother and sister, your child, your best friend...the list goes on. People need love, but not a love that is conditioned on what they do or if they love you back. A love that is full of grace and peace and mercy. A love that is deep and rich and sweet. A love that surpasses any and all understanding because it is so infinite that words cannot explain it and if there were words that could explain it they wouldn't make sense because a love like this seems impossible. This kind of love is not something we have on our own, but with Christ we have this love and we can love with this love. We can be this love. Christ is this love and if you have Him you have His love within you. Why are you withholding it? You could be the reason someone experiences what true love looks like. Love conquers all.
The thing is that love is not free. Love costs EVERYTHING. Are you willing to give up everything for love? God has shown me what it takes to love the way He does and it is not easy. He asks that we love with everything we have, with everything that we are, to give of ourselves as He have of Himself. Love is sacrifice. Christ showed us what ultimate, reckless, unfathomable, grace filled love looks like when He chose to take our punishment on the cross; bearing our sins, our shame, our guilt, our pain, and rising victoriously over it. God probably won't ask you to do what Jesus did in that respect, but I can guarantee you He will ask you to do things that most would say are crazy, reckless, and impractical for love. This world needs people who are willing to say "yes" when God asks them to do something uncomfortable to show His love. I am asking myself right now, am I willing to love like this? It is scary to think about it, but God has not given a spirit of fear but one of power and love and self-control (2 Timothy 1:7). Maybe God has already called you to love in big ways and you have, maybe He is now and you have to decide whether or not you are going to say "yes", and maybe He hasn't yet but is preparing you for when He will. Maybe all God is asking you to do right now is invite someone to eat with you, or to say hello, or to invite them to church or to just be a friend. Whatever it is He is asking of you remember that you don't go alone. He is there with you helping you through and loving them for you. I think that if we all took this challenge to love without fear this world could be a drastically different place. Love Costs Everything; in it holds the power to change the world.
Take the risk. It will be so worth it!
