My wife never ceases to amaze me.
This past Sunday we went to our home church and worshipped together; afterwards we were part of a group of hundreds who packed Christmas boxes for Operation Christmas Child (check this outreach ministry: https://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/…/).
On our ride home my wife asked me to turn the car around after we passed a homeless man standing on side of the Interstate exit. She said the man just "looked so sad,"
so we went back, shared with him the love of the Lord and ended up driving him to get something to eat.
After dropping the man off my sweet wife was in tears because of the hurt this man was experiencing. I was reminded of the lyrics of the Hillsong United song: "Break my heart for what breaks yours, everything I am for your Kingdom's cause..."
That's my wife with the heart of Jesus.
But she'd be the first to tell you that apart from what Jesus has done within us, we'd be in bondage to the self protection, selfishness, and fears that dull the senses and render us unable to do more than be occasional "do gooders" to salve our consciences and give ourselves the proverbial pat on the back.
Instead we find ourselves overwhelmed by grace..............and experiencing the deep joy that comes when He challenges us in the hard places and enables our faltering heart to set aside fear and self protection as we join Him where he leads. He is the one who has replaced our "hearts of stone" with hearts of flesh"...... and the gift of joy along the way is humbling and completely undeserved.
We pray for the children that will open the boxes..... and for the young man who seemed so forlorn and hopeless, but who showed genuine gratitude for a little time and the money for a meal. Long after the items in the shoe boxes have been worn, lost or used up, and when the young man finds himself hungry and in need again, the voice of a savior who directs and enables those who are His to "love one another" may penetrate a heart with it's life giving message. That is the prayer of our hearts...........
"“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35
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