Reaching out

It seems pretty obvious that God’s main plan for the church is to connect them with one another. The is the model of the church that we read about in Acts 2.  One sign of a healthy church or in my case student ministry is when many different groups (groups of students who normally wouldn’t hang out together at school) connect.  The church is designed to bring people together and to get the word of God out to the lost.   We see Jesus reaching out to people that others would not even associate with. 

As Easter approaches, I have a feeling of overwhelming responsibility to get the gospel to all generations and regardless of race, background, financial status, or any other thing the world may choose to label people with.  We know that we have to become more like Him, in order to make this plan work, but how can we do just that?  

It is by no surprise that none of us are perfect.  No one has it all together.  Everyone has disappointments, bad attitudes, and imperfections.  The good news is that we can have a new beginning when we accept God, and our relationships can become more important to us than they were before.  Jesus knew about the power of love, and showed it throughout His ministry.  He went about His Father's business often times against the grain of the norm. He didn't care what others thought, just as long as he could show love to those that needed it.  

We see in 1 John 4:7-12 that John has acquired this attitude of becoming more like Christ with his intentions and wants to share the love of God with everyone he meets.  Take a look:

 7-10My beloved friends, let us continue to love each other since love comes from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and experiences a relationship with God. The person who refuses to love doesn't know the first thing about God, because God is love—so you can't know him if you don't love. This is how God showed his love for us: God sent his only Son into the world so we might live through him. This is the kind of love we are talking about—not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they've done to our relationship with God.

 11-12My dear, dear friends, if God loved us like this, we certainly ought to love each other. No one has seen God, ever. But if we love one another, God dwells deeply within us, and his love becomes complete in us—perfect love! 

I do know that I still have a lot of imperfections, and I can hear Christina saying Amen, but I know I am trying to live the life that God has created me for.   

It is my prayer that we don't run through this important season, and forget the reason that Christ died for us, we must remember that the reason He died was because he LOVED us.  We must in turn share this love with everyone we meet.  

God, help me to be love to those that need it most.  Open the doors of opportunity that I may share your love with all.  Never let me back down from the challenge of sharing your perfect love with others.  Thank you for saving me and giving me hope for tomorrow.  Amen.