I am reading a book by Ann Voskamp called One Thousand Gifts. I love reading inspirational, Jesus type books. Granted, I know nothing beats the direct word of God, but getting into other Christian's minds and seeing the light from a different perspective is always fascinating to me. Ann talks a lot about how through a thankful heart, thankful for everything in our lives including the good and bad, that we thank God for what has come our way. Through this thanksgiving we find joy. We need to pratice being thankful for everything, every tiny little thing. One of my favorite quotes (thus far) reads, "And that's definite: I will lose every single person I have ever loved. Either abruptly or eventually. All human relationships end in loss." This hit me hard. Those very words are my absolute biggest fear in life. Loss. Especially of ones I have invested in. Especially ones I have loved and loved hard. It all goes back to that control thing. It is a gift that I get to love any of these people in the first place. I need to be grateful for that opportunity, however long or short they are placed in my life. What a gift to love! Be grateful. Find joy in the gift that amazing people have been placed in your life. Don't be greedy. And when they are taken from you, be grateful and know that it is because of God's grace that they were place in your life in the first place. His plan is sovereign. His plan is bigger than you can ever begin to imagine. The only reason I am on this earth is to glorify Him. My selfish desires seem so silly when I realize the only thing that matters is living a life full of love based on His love for His children, on living a life that shines His light, in living a life that is 100% glorifying to His name. He will take care of the rest.
"If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing. If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love." 1 Corinthians 13:1-7
The imagery in this verse is amazing. The rusty gate, jumping mountains (as if mountains aren't already spectacular), burning at the stake. Goodness. Living like this would be magnificent. But I don't think your actions, your words, your beliefs can be pure and holy without love. And love only defined the way Jesus loves. Selfless, unconditional, sacrificing love. This is what we were made for! How freaking cool is that? I don't want to ever be bankrupt in this sense. I want to love hard.till.the.day.I.die. Leave it all on the line. Go big or go home. And so what if I get hurt? We broke Jesus' heart. Heck, we break His heart every second of every day. But He doesn't give up on us. He loves us no matter what we do. Here's my challenge, here's what I feel God is laying heavy on my heart: Love hard knowing that at any second He has the power to take it away. Don't be afraid to love with all you've got but instead be grateful for the opportunity and chance to shine His light.
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