Reflection

"Our Lord told us how our love for Him is to exhibit itself when He asked, "Do you love me" in John 21:17? And then He said, Feed my sheep. In effect He said, "Identify yourself with MY interests in other people, not "Identify me with your interests in other people. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 shows us the characteristics of this love- it is actually the love of God expressing itself. The true test of my love for Jesus is a very practical one, and all the rest is sentimental talk.

The key to the missionary's devotion is that he is attached to nothing else and to no one except our Lord Himself. It does not mean simply being detached from the external things surrounding us. Our Lord was amazingly in touch with the ordinary things of life, but He had an inner detachment except toward God. External detachment is often an actual indication of a secret, growing, inner attachment to the things we stay away from externally. The duty of a faithful missionary is to concentrate on keeping his soul completely and continually open to the nature of the Lord Jesus Christ."- Oswald Chambers

How often do we love the people we want to love? When we start with our own self motives, and then put a little more Jesus into it, to try and make it work better. Are we really loving God when we are consistently asking Him for what we want, instead of seeking His heart in the matter?

It's easy to look loving. It's easy to look like we are following at Jesus, but are we really willing to go where God wants us to go and love the people He wants us to love?

What are the secret motives of our heart? Until we can identify those inner selfish thoughts and hidden desires, we may not be able to serve God well. What are we attached too so much that we don't want to give up?

What would be your response to God if He asked you to give up some of the dreams that have been on your heart for a long time?

I'm tired of people preaching that God is like Santa Clause. He grants all your heart desires. That's a lie- because we are selfish. He can't grant our selfish hearts desires and fulfill our needs of the flesh. We don't even know what we want or need because our love and hearts have been perverted by false promises of this world. God does not desire to make us happy here on this earth, He desires to make us holy.

God, change our focus. Help us see you better. Transform our hearts of stone and give us hearts of flesh- that see and feel like you do. Help us experience your love that has no boundaries or limits. Make us free from others' expectations of us and help us to redefine what living in the rythms of your grace really means.