Without Condition
Growing up in my church, I heard over and over again about our God who loves unconditionally. He loves the sinners who will turn to Him and the sinners who wont. He loves the Hindu, the Muslim, and the Buddhist and desires closeness with them all the same. Jesus stretches His hand out to us, even if we never reach out to take it.
I started thinking this month that not only did Christ love unconditionally, He was unconditional in all things. Jesus healed without condition. He cleansed ten lepers from their disease, knowing that only one would choose Him as Lord afterward (Luke 17:11). Jesus walked without condition. He taught, corrected, and lived among people who would never choose to believe, yet He continued to press into them. Jesus even spent one of his last days listening to the counterfeit praises of the people in Jerusalem who would yell “crucify Him” hours later (Matthew 21:9). And Jesus served without condition. He was not afraid of the cultural norms of His time and lived without fear of reprimand from officials or religious leaders. He gave time and attention to women who were shunned from their community (John 4:7-30, John 8:1-11). He washed the feet of the man who betrayed Him for money (John 13).
Coming to Nepal after the amazing month I had in India was hard. I felt more at peace and happy in India than any place in the world. I tried my best to leave there two weeks ago with excitement for the next month, but I felt myself clinging to comparison and discontentment as we arrived in our new home in Nepal. I quickly jumped into ministry, but everything seemed second best to what it was last month. We went from conducting services for 60-120 people each night in India to leading Bible studies for 2-5 people here in Nepal. We walked two hours through fields and hills to a home to preach to a family who wouldn’t say one word to us. I sat in homes like that remembering the laughs, hugs, and friendships that formed so easily with my Indian hosts. I was dissatisfied and my attitude was toxic.
And then one afternoon, the thought of a non-conditional Jesus broke me of my destructive position. I begged God to give me a heart and a passion for this country and rid me of the conditions that held me back. Almost immediately I began to see the Nepali people more like family and less like strangers. So here is my pledge to the country of Nepal and to Jesus who brought me here:
I will give love and attention to the people of Nepal even if they do not give it back.
I will abandon the stipulations I have about which ministry is valid and which is not.
I will start each day with an open heart and mind and not compare this month to the last.
I will give my heart completely to these people, fully aware that heartbreak will happen again.
Abby- seeking a pure heart in Nepal
