Crazy Love

Crazy Love--Lord teach me to love you so much that others will see you in me and think "she is crazy in love with Jesus."

I knew when we picked up Francis Chan's book "Crazy Love" that it would bring conviction and confirmation to my spirit. For some time God has been telling me that I need to fall deeper and deeper in love with Him. I, in fact, know that if I crave God more than anything else in my life He will fill me to overflowing with His love. This overflow is what will give me the heart to love others deeply, to feel their pain, and to be a conduit for the Holy Spirit to comfort and draw others into that same love relationship with God. God who created them to have fellowship with Him.
So that's where the conviction overtook me--Francis doesn't pull any punches in his call to "Christians" to examine their walk with God. He tells us that we're either all in or all out.

Revelation 3:15-17 (ESV)

15"'I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot.(A) Would that you were either cold or hot! 16So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked

Lukewarm? Not me God. Lord, how can that be? My goodness, I assist my husband in pastoring a house church, I minister at the nursing home, I'm part of several ministries to women, I love to do life purpose coaching, I find ways to encourage and teach younger women like Titus 3 says to do, I spend time in prayer and Bible study, I do all I can for my aging parents, I pray for my children and the generations to come. Lukewarm? How can it be that my heart cries out that I miss the mark so often? Why?

Okay, here comes the conviction part:

Deuteronomy 6:5-6
You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.

Matthew 22:36-38 (ESV)
36"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?" 37 And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment

All my heart? Lord, I wish I could say that. Lord, I really want to say it. Lord, forgive me. Forgive my arrogance and pride in those things I "do" for you. Draw me into your lap as a young child Lord so I can hear your heartbeat and my heartbeat can join with yours. Break my heart with those things in the world that break yours that I might feel the desperate needs of others and respond with my whole being--not just the pittance that I offer you. The pittance that is comfortable, that I get satisfaction out of--a mere pittance of what you want from me--to love you with my whole heart, mind, soul and strength.

Remind me of your awesome power, your awesome love--the creator who came down to sacrifice Himself so that I can experience that awesome love and feel the awesome power in me and around me and in the world.

Lord, as I read Francis'chapter "People of the Lukewarm", as I saw the list of what lukewarm people will do or be like, I knew that in too many ways I could be called lukewarm. Am I willing to step beyond my comfort zone and throw caution to the wind? To allow myself to trust you so much that I risk it all. Lord I am willing to strip down my life so that I can more fully give my life to you and to others.

Lord, I want to be able to say that through your grace I want to be able to truly

Love God, Love Others and make disciples as I go