New Year, New Love

The new year is here and I have had some interesting things happen to me already this first week of 2010. I have read over and over for the the past two months the Book "Crazy Love" by

Francis Chan. Which by the way is the best book I have read in a long time. I loved it so much that I have given out to many students, and even family as gifts. The book deals with God and how his love for us is so amazing that we just have to stop and just think about it. God for me has proven Himself time and time again, but then when I think I have a better understanding of God's love, I open up our devotional book, and the first three days this year it has been talking about love. But the story doesn't end there. I am currently taking a NT course and all day yesterday we talked about the love of God. So I began to think to myself, God is really trying to get my attention and let me know how much He loves me. The fact is, he is always trying to get our attention and show us His love, but the sad reality is that we are usually to busy to even begin to grasp how much he really loves us.

Peyton and I always play a game and it is is trying to see who can show the other that they love them more. It is funny to see what things that we do to show it. From stretching our hands out wide, to smiling, to giving those big tackle hugs. But all of this still cannot show Peyton how much I love him. So this made me realize one more thing about God, if God who created both of us has allowed me to love so great for my children, how much more then does He love me. Just the thought of being loved by God and knowing that he had also played the game with me, when he sent his Son to earth, who stretched out His arms as far as He could and let me know how much He truly loved me.

John makes it abundantly clear that great spiritual gifts without love is worthless and might as well be like noise pollution and ultimately worthless. The world places value on talents, skills, and what one can do or accomplish. But the Lord showed us humility, patience, and sacrifice – so that His love could be communicated to us. I’m reminded of what a terrible Dad I would be if I measure my worth as a Dad based solely on how well I provide for my son yet not spend any time with him or express my love for him through all the various ways of sacrifice, patience, and affection I can show him. Peyton doesn’t know the difference between $1 and a million dollars, or that I’m the most gifted man in something, nor does he care, but he knows that I love him and that I show that he matters so much to me. To him the times we share playing games, wrestling, and as he calls it hanging out mean more than anything I can ever buy him, just look in his closet and you can see that.

As a youth pastor in a very busy church, husband, father, and student, it is easy to allow busy schedules and many other things to replace the heart of love for God and people that needs to be my motivation. I can be doing all the things that the father asks yet slowly lose sight of why I am living the life I am. Looking back at my life, I know I missed many opportunities to grow because I had been placing worth on my life on all that I was doing in ministry or what I was able to offer back to God or feeling insecure that I was not this or that. That is why it is so essential that I reflect and pray constantly do truly realize this thing called love. One thing God has taught me in these past few weeks is that actions can equal love and therefore I must not merely say the words I Love you and then not prove it, but I must follow through with all that the word love means. In the same note, it is very easy to say I love God, but then never spend the time with Him, I must, and we must show God, our Heavenly father, how much we cannot live with out Him, because without Him, our lives are meaningless.

Dear God, I know that my attempts to fully understand your love and the limitless boundaries that it brings to my life, it is my prayer that I can grow closer to you and show you how much I truly love you. I also pray that my love for my family grows greater than ever before. May I show them the power of love as it comes only from the Father above. To all my extended family and friend, may I be a light that can show each of them the love that You have for each of us and may I continue to serve You until You come.