When my friend Britt and I were looking for converters in Best Buy a very helpful employee asked if he could assist us. We explained we were going to India and unsure which equipment we needed. He asked us what we were going, for fun or school? We looked at each other, the answer is simple (and not). Britt said something to effect of 'because of Jesus,' which IS the only explanation. We proceeded to have a really beautiful conversation with this man, whom I'll call Paul for the sake of anonymity. He shared with us that God had changed his life and now he was just kind of waiting to see what would be next, and wanted prayer for himself, a struggling musician and artist. Britt and I had entered the store a bit tired and worn after much shopping and errand running. We left incredibly refreshed saying to ourselves, truly, "Your loving-kindness is better than Life!" It reminds me of something Mother Teresa said about her work in India that resonates deeply within my heart;
At this moment I feel tired and weary, like life has knocked me down one too many times. (for me it seems that I am the one tripping over my own feet.) Thanks be to God, in Christ, the righteous can always rise once more than the number of times they fall.
Not a righteousness of our own. Not this work of our own. Not by gritting our teeth and trying harder. (Oh God, forgive me for I fight, I fight your torrential love!) By the grace and love of God, by the power of His Spirit. Indeed, "Compassion doesn't originate in our own bleeding hearts or moral sweat but in God's mercy."
(Romans 9:16 The Message)
It is for the Love of Jesus that we do this work. It is for the love of Jesus that I am and see and breathe.
Not earning His love but living out of the immense love that has been shown to me. Not living in guilt of my past but walking, redeemed to the light.
Oh God of mercy and Grace, teach me how to belong to you. I cannot will my faith, it is only a gift from you. Teach me how to accept this gift, live it and love the wonder of Your Spirit stirring our hearts. Turn our hearts of stone to hearts of flesh. Do not let us be unbending or unyielding but break our hearts and bend our will to Yours.
I want to know the shape and feel, the tone and hue of what it means to be so loved by You.
"Our work is not our vocation. Our vocation consists in belonging to Jesus.
The work is nothing but a means to express our love for him, That is why the
work itself is not important. What is important is for you to belong to Jesus.
And He is the one who offers you the means to express that belonging." * (*my emphasis added)
Not a righteousness of our own. Not this work of our own. Not by gritting our teeth and trying harder. (Oh God, forgive me for I fight, I fight your torrential love!) By the grace and love of God, by the power of His Spirit. Indeed, "Compassion doesn't originate in our own bleeding hearts or moral sweat but in God's mercy."
(Romans 9:16 The Message)
It is for the Love of Jesus that we do this work. It is for the love of Jesus that I am and see and breathe.
Not earning His love but living out of the immense love that has been shown to me. Not living in guilt of my past but walking, redeemed to the light.
Oh God of mercy and Grace, teach me how to belong to you. I cannot will my faith, it is only a gift from you. Teach me how to accept this gift, live it and love the wonder of Your Spirit stirring our hearts. Turn our hearts of stone to hearts of flesh. Do not let us be unbending or unyielding but break our hearts and bend our will to Yours.
I want to know the shape and feel, the tone and hue of what it means to be so loved by You.
...
We are borrowers of Grace,
(broken, with no hope to repay)
Bearers of The Love
(nails & blameless blood)
which brings barren hearts
back to life.
...
...
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