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I heard the sermon 12 or more years ago. The pastor stood up front and spoke directly into my soul, and the message has never stopped being so CORE to who I am. He said it over and over again:
He spoke of the grace of God mediated to us through one another. How we're indwelt by the Spirit of God and we're vessels to channel His love to each other. How when we have a "surge" of affection for someone, we should step out and share it with them instead of holding it inside....and how when we withhold our hearts in those moments, we're actually withholding an expression of the heart of God that was meant for our brother or sister.
Let love reach.
Let it reach its intended destination. From the Father's heart, to the heart of the one for whom we sense His affections.
We are privileged to be the vessel.
This message has become so deeply a part of me, and yet so often in recent years I find myself struggling to open myself up and freely, extravagantly let love reach. Here's what I tend to forget:
In calling us to be these conduits of His love, the Father extends to us this invitation that will lead us into great freedom: LET GO, TRUST GOD, AND LOVE.
Let go...
...of my need to have all the words just right.
...of my introspection and my double- and triple-checking of my heart motives.
...of my fear of man and my wondering what people will think if I really extravagantly express this love.
...of my insecurity that is afraid of how my heart might be hurt if I open it up and ooze affection all over the ones He's put before me.
...of all my comparing that keeps me cycling in insecurity, keeps me from confidently loving.
**What could you add to this list?**
Trust God...
...that He'll fill my mouth with the words that are needed if I'm willing to just open it and start speaking.
...that He'll show me clearly if/when I have impure motives... that He's committed enough to my heart to get my attention if necessary... and that even if there is mixture in my motives in loving others, if my heart is after Him, He will bring me back around.
...that my identity comes from what HE says about me, and not from the opinions of people.
...that He is the ultimate protector of my heart and even though people sometimes fail me, He is my faithful healer. He holds my heart with perfect care even when others fail to do so.
...that as I pull my eyes off of myself and place them on Him, He will define me and be my confidence and my completeness and He fills in all of my gaps and there's no need to try to look or sound or be like anyone but myself.
**What specific things do you need to trust God with in order to love freely?**
AND LOVE...
Free. Uninhibited. Extravagant. Genuine. Openhearted. Maybe even undignified..... WILD.
Express the affection that God allows you to feel for a person to the degree He allows you to feel it. Don't hold back.
Open wide the doors of your heart and let all the force of His love reach its intended destination.
This is my challenge to myself this week: Love wildly.
A good friend gave me great wisdom a week or so ago. "Stop trying so hard to get everything just right and just live from here," she said, pointing to her stomach. Trust God.... and live from your gut.
Let love reach.
How else can we grow in our ability and confidence to step out and boldly
LOVE those God puts before us? To uninhibitedly share His heart with them?
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