It's 'Just Because I Love you' Day.

I have been given the incredible honor of teaching the children in God's church every Sunday. When I say children, I mean the 3-6 year olds. So, in essence, I am the woman who wears some form of pants EVERY Sunday, I typically have about three children begging for my attention, and I am usually wearing some form of dirt, paint, or Lord knows what else, as if it were the latest and greatest accessory. Don't let me mislead you, I LOVE where God has placed my husband and myself in His church.

A few weeks ago, I was having a particularly difficult time getting the attention of the class. I had a few children running around, two clinging to my legs, others having their own conversation at the table, and one sweet little girl dragging every possible toy out off of the shelf. I was overwhelmed. I don't usually struggle with keeping the attention of this group, we are usually so far involved in an activity that there is little to no distraction. (Don't ask, this is something that God has done in this particular class. I had NOTHING to do with it.) But, alas, there is the occasional Sunday where our class has a hard time focusing. Just when I am about to resort to a whisper chain, which is what we do to let them get the attention of each other, I feel a tap on the back of my leg.

 As I turn around, I notice that the little girl who has pulled everything off the shelf has found what she was searching for. She hands to me a heart shaped cookie cutter. With it comes this simple message "It's 'just because I love you' day." Those sweet, sweet words, spoken by a three year old put so much into perspective for me.

And walk in love, [esteeming and delighting in one another] as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a slain offering and sacrifice to God [for you, so that it became] a sweet fragrance. Ephesians 5: 2

How precious is Your steadfast love, O God! The children of men take refuge and put their trust under the shadow of Your wings.Psalm 36: 7

Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us. Romans 5: 5

On the day He created the Earth, knowing that we would mess it up, and turn on Him, He was saying "It's 'just because I love you' day."

On the day He sent Jesus, to become a man, to walk and live amongst sinners, He was saying, "It's 'just because I love you' day."

On the day He climbed Calvary, and allowed Himself to die and suffer the penalty for our sins, He was saying, "IT'S 'JUST BECAUSE I LOVE YOU' DAY!!!!"

Today, He wants you to know that "It's 'just because I love YOU' day."

He offers us redemption, hope, and light. Just because he loves us. Yesterday, today, tomorrow. Every Day.

 

He who does not love has not become acquainted with God [does not and never did know Him], for God is love. 1 John 4: 8

This morning, I had the incredible opportunity to help the women hand out movie tickets to see the movie Courageous. I was amazed to see how many people will completely ignore you, as though you didn't say a thing to begin with, others just weren't interested in hearing what we had to offer. The one thing that would be the most disappointing is if people took the tickets, and threw them away.

It breaks my heart to see how neglectful people have gotten when it comes to God. I am reminded of times when I groan because I see the name of a certain person pop up at the ring of my phone. I think 'Oh, I don't have time for them today.' I am often too quick to hit the ever-handy ignore button. What if my parents had done the exact same thing when they were invited to church years ago? I would most likely be without a relationship with Christ right now, I would probably be Hell bound.

This morning we were offering a free gift, no catch other than to tolerate my voice for two minutes while I shared a small part of what God has done for me. Christ offers us a free gift of Salvation. Too often, we are too busy, or just not interested. This is the point where, instead of hitting the ignore button I answer and request to call them right back, but never get around to it. Perhaps we make it through the greeting, then shut God out, or this is the point where we have heard the Message, and rush out at the beginning of the invitation because we don't want the pressure to go to the altar.Maybe we begin to buzz around when the altar call starts because we don't want to think about our broken hearts, and focusing on something else relieves the pressure.

After all of this, I do fear that some people have taken the tickets, and will either throw them away, or forget. Unfortunately, as a believer, I have done just this. I have accepted the free gift that Christ offers. I have taken that step to invite Him into my heart, then I have forgotten. I have neglected to be attentive to the Holy Spirit who resides within me. I have failed to utilize the free gift. What if, like those movie tickets, the Holy Spirit expired. Would you be past your expiration date?

For clarification, the Holy Spirit does NOT expire. He is eternal. But what if He did? I refuse to let Him sit in a bottle on a shelf in my heart and go to waste. The Bible tells us that He is as powerful and as relevant as Jesus and The Father, that the three are actually one in the same. Why do we struggle so much with allowing the Holy Spirit to work in us, but most importantly around us?

Lord, I want to be unleashed in my heart. I want You to shake my heart as you shook the building in Acts chapter 4. I want You to become such a presence in my life that the people around us experience You like a rushing of a mighty wind, as described in Your Bible in Acts chapter 2. I believe You can do these things. I love you. In the Holy name of Christ Jesus, Amen.

I've broken the bottle. Have YOUR way.