It's been such sweet season of humbling myself before God and fully receiving what he has for me in these
Learning to live in that way as a living sacrifice, his light has come into my life in such a way that has opened my eyes to my own selfishness. You can only go so far in your walk with the Lord before you just hit a wall and AREN'T satisfied with "me, me, me, me"! I have hit that point and recently in my quiet time, I fell to my knees and told him just that. "God, I'm not satisfied anymore with treating you like a vending machine.. just wanting, wanting, getting, getting. Thank you for all that you have given me and for all that you've spoken to my heart, but I'm starving to give away! Teach me!"
.. haha. "teach me"..... He loves when we say that:) Watch out when you say those words!!! Anyways, taught me right then and there he did.
He took me right to the life of Jesus. Luke 10:25-37.
This is when Jesus tells the "expert of the law" the story of the Good Samaritan. Explained to him first to
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength and mind and love your neighbor as yourself."(27)
And what Jesus explains next as the story of the Good Samaritan blows my bind and lifestyle to see and know what love REALLY is.. what it REALLY looks like.
Jesus begins the story explaining an innocent man traveling on a road and getting robbed, beaten and left alone by robbers he encountered. A while later, one man( a priest,) came down the same road and ignored him. Second man was a Levite and did the same thing. The third man was the Samaritan.
Now, I want to go into detail and pick apart here what exactly that Samaritan did... because I think it not only shows us exactly how to love the "men down" around us, but also beautifully and purposefully portrays the love given to US.
1.) The Samaritan man CAME to where the man was. (33)
2.) He SAW the injured man's needs and loved him. (33)
3.) He WENT to the injured man, bandaged his wounds, and poured oil and wine on him. (34)
-I believe this is the spiritual meaning- GOING to him, bringing healing and love, and pouring the
pouring the presence of God upon him
4.) The Samaritan man TOOK HIM IN and took care of him.
-I think this area and beyond is what we lack in often. We can't just BEGIN to love
someone, bring them to know the Lord and his love, and then just leave them... it's like leaving an
infant alone to take care if himself. We NEED to realize this area of need in people's lives.. to
"take them in"... love them, mentor them, meet with them, talk to them, love them some more.
And more. and more.
5.) The Samaritan man took out his own money and gave it to someone trusted. He said to this trusted one, "Look after him."
-We should EXTEND our hand to our community, other believers, to stand hand in hand to
partner in loving and covering this person together. God gave us a community of unified believers
for many reasons, this being a great one!
At the end of this story, Jesus tells the expert in the law,
"GO and do likewise."(37)
This has challenged me so much in my life... What good do I do when I see a man down, go to him, bandage him up, release God's love into his life... and then just leave him? Am a portraying God's heart for him? Am I loving him the exact way God loved me and loves him? Jesus asks for us to GO and do all of the above! Take them in. Care for them. Sacrifice for them. Connect them and surround them with Godly people. THAT'S love.. THAT'S the love Jesus has for us.
He had already shown us long before this story was said, what kind of love that was that he has for us.
He sent from on high, he took me;
he drew me out of many waters.
He rescued me from my strong enemy
and from those who hated me,
for they were too mighty for me.
They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
but the LORD was my support.
He brought me out into a broad place;
he rescued me, because he delighted in me
Psalms 18:16-19 (ESV)
he drew me out of many waters.
He rescued me from my strong enemy
and from those who hated me,
for they were too mighty for me.
They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
but the LORD was my support.
He brought me out into a broad place;
he rescued me, because he delighted in me
Psalms 18:16-19 (ESV)
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