The King of Kings put His heart on the line.
Jesus left complete communion with the Father and Holy Spirit in all His glory to be a man, to be our brother. He became like the created to relate to you and me. Jesus then chose to get up on a cross, heart exposed, and die for us.
Over the last year and even more so in the last 6 months the Lord has been revealing just how vulnerable He is to me. I can't get over that He hung on a cross with arms completely open asking, "will you have me? will you receive my love? I'm giving everything for you because you're worth it, will you choose to receive me?"
Jesus put his heart on the line. As one that pursues our hearts he put his heart, himself (everything that he is) out there and we could reject or receive him. Just thinking about relationships and how usually a man pursues a woman in that way may help put it into perspective. The man has to have courage and take the risk of being rejected (i.e. being vulnerable for the possibility of love) in asking a woman out and she can respond in two ways, yes I receive your invitation or no; leading to great joy or possibly pain. How crazy that God would do that with us? He gives us a choice thus making himself vulnerable to rejection.
Even after saying yes to Jesus we daily make the decision to receive him or not. We can live our lives walking with him with him or ignoring him.
Jesus' love for us cost him everything, cost him being vulnerable to weak human beings. I'm starting to realize that real love costs you something, self preservation. Jesus not once self protected himself from being hurt or offended. He knowingly walked into pain, rejection, mocking and that was before the cross. He was vulnerable over and over and over and over and over and over again..... He is never not vulnerable to you and me. I pray that I live my life without self preservation, without any hindrance to how I love Jesus and people.
When I think about love I think about Jesus arms wide open on the cross, symbolic of his heart open, ready to give me himself and for me to give myself to him....communion. Now I want to go worship Jesus....love and blessings for now!
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Update from an Oak Lawn resident
Currently, I am procrastinating on doing some of the undesirable parts of being a intercessory missionary so instead I am updating my blog for those that are curious how it's going. This first week of being officially in Oak Lawn has been quite interesting. I have experienced a wide range of emotions and encounters in the first couple of days. I'm settling into my new home. I am living with friends from the Upper Room about a block from the Upper Room. My new commute is a 3 minute walk or 1 minute drive. Never in my life has this happened! I just paid off another of my student loans. I started with 5 total at the beginning of the year and now have 3. Praise Jesus! Monday morning I woke up and realized I get to do this for a living. I get to love God and love people as my full time occupation. Living on faith may have some trials to it, but I don't really know how I lived life before. Living day in and day out knowing that God is my provider in every way is one of the most terrifying and exciting adventures that I now know as my reality. I get to spend my days with some of the most fiery and humble men and women I know while praying for revival to come to Dallas and the nation! I get to learn how to give my life away in a whole new way.
On a more personal note, Jesus did a deep work in me during my time at IHOP last week. Jesus says that His love for me is a covenant that will never be removed. Isaiah 54:10 "But my lovingkindness will not be removed from you, And my covenant of peace will not be shaken." This crazy journey of the heart can never be taken from me. Though all things in my life have or will fail, not Jesus' love. He is in a covenant with me. I can't shake Him or annoy Him or push Him away. He will always be good to me. It's who He is. I keep wondering how this happened. How did I end up in a love where I was always the object of his affection, His strong desire for me. Jesus has taken hold of my heart and I just can't let go. I just get to be loved for eternity, caught up in the Love of Father, Son and Holy Spirit! Though He is still healing my broken heart I wouldn't want to be anywhere else but in His arms. He continually wins me over. He did a lot more but I'm going to keep the rest to myself for now. :)
On a more personal note, Jesus did a deep work in me during my time at IHOP last week. Jesus says that His love for me is a covenant that will never be removed. Isaiah 54:10 "But my lovingkindness will not be removed from you, And my covenant of peace will not be shaken." This crazy journey of the heart can never be taken from me. Though all things in my life have or will fail, not Jesus' love. He is in a covenant with me. I can't shake Him or annoy Him or push Him away. He will always be good to me. It's who He is. I keep wondering how this happened. How did I end up in a love where I was always the object of his affection, His strong desire for me. Jesus has taken hold of my heart and I just can't let go. I just get to be loved for eternity, caught up in the Love of Father, Son and Holy Spirit! Though He is still healing my broken heart I wouldn't want to be anywhere else but in His arms. He continually wins me over. He did a lot more but I'm going to keep the rest to myself for now. :)
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