This morning in my quiet time, the Father directed me to Ephesians 5, one of my favorite passages. As I read the passage reflectively, read it again in another version, and yet again in another version, I found myself chuckling at how hard we make living the way He desires.
Two things right at the starting gate are:
- Emulate the Father
- Live in love
I have a friend, Ashley, who is the full example of this to me. Ashley lives her life looking for people to love. She was in church one Sunday and a family sat next to her that was having trouble following the service because English was not their first language and the church had no interpretation. Though she could understand them, nor could they understand her - she handed them a piece of paper with her number and told them to call if there was anything that they needed. After several weeks she got a call from a person who said that his friend had her number in his hand and needed help. Ashley headed over to this apartment that was not furnished with anything and found that the family was living there and that the husband was having trouble finding work. Here is love in action: Ashley got on the phone called local friends that she knew were hiring and set up interviews for the husband, Ashley called her friends and gathered their clothes for the family, Ashley called more friends and told them to cancel those garage sales and bring the gently used furniture to her. At the end of a few days the family had jobs, clothing, furniture, food, and the kids were in school. And as an added bonus - she got someone to teach them ESL in their home. OH!! Did I mention that Ashley is married, a mother of 4 children (2 of which are special needs). Yes -- she had much to do. But not so much that she could not take the time to show this family a tangible picture of the love of God.
There are so many books and tapes out there telling us how to live the life of Christ in the world, the Father reminded me yet again that He has giving us all we need for life and living. He says to us all - I have showed you the way to do it -- now do it just the way I did. In other words pour your life out for the sake of others. Your time? Your talent? Your treasure? Yours ---- really?? Remember who owns you, who you owe your life too and then steward all He has given you well by giving yourself
away and count it gain!
Ask the Father to teach your heart to love. Not just to love, but to love the way that He has intended. In the words of the song by William McDowell - give yourself away so He can use you. Admit that your life is not your own - develop a heart that longs to see God's desire for us fulfilled.
Here is the way - walk ye in it!
This was great Rosalyn.
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