Last blog I shared about how Papa has been breaking off the hinderance that’s holding my heart back from loving like He does. Here’s part two of what He’s showing me about love.
Lately I’ve been praying for people in my life to “bloom and grow”. I’ve loved the Sound of Music since I was a little girl, and Edelweiss has always been one of my very favourites.
Edelweiss Edelweiss
Every morning you greet me
Small and white
Clean and bright
You look happy to meet me
Blossom of snow may you bloom and grow
Bloom and grow forever
Edelweiss Edelweiss
Bless my homeland forever
As I pray for those in my life to bloom and grow, I get to pray for clean hearts for them, just like the edelweiss, and for them to bloom and grow forever, wherever they are, whether it be in my homeland of Canada, my motherland of Egypt, or wherever they might be.
The other day my team and I found out our ministry for the Philippines (!!), and I told myself that on Tuesday mornings I would be diligent in taking time to pray for them.
They’re called The Children’s Garden.
This morning as I was praying for the boys aged 12-18 who are ministered to there, I asked Papa for them to bloom and grow. And then I realized that I was praying that the Children’s Garden would bloom and grow! It may be small, but it was a sweet little realization that Papa’s been preparing my heart for them even in my prayers.
I then began to think of something a friend of mine posted. She talked about something her grandfather used to say “a bell isn’t a bell until it’s been rung, and love isn’t love until it’s been given“.
Again, my Sound of Music loving mind went back to the opening line of Sixteen Going On Seventeen (Reprise).
A bell is no bell till you ring it, a song is no song till you sing it, and love in your heart wasn’t put there to stay, love isn’t love till you give it away
I remember the first time I heard this line when I was around 14. It was as if my entire understanding of love had been shifted to a truer, better understanding of love. It absolutely wrecked me. That one little line made me change how I lived. I realized that if I had love in my heart for someone, I had to share it, lest I forfeit its right to be called love.
If you read my last blog or you know me well, you understand how much I love to love people! It’s an honour and a privilege for those around me to allow me into their lives and hearts, and allow me to love them.
But as time goes on and your heart starts to harden from unreturned or unreceived love, it becomes easier to hold back from giving love in efforts to keep your heart safe.
Over the past year and even in my last blog, Papa entirely destroyed those thoughts. He reminded me through John 13:1 that Jesus loved to the very end, no matter if His love was returned or even received, or not.
This morning, He used Proverbs 27:5 to remind me once more: Better is open rebuke than hidden love.
Initially, I didn’t understand what this meant. It’s better to rebuke someone than to love them from afar?
I asked Papa to make it clear to me, and instantly these sweet lyrics rang through my mind once again.
love in your heart wasn’t put there to stay, love isn’t love till you give it away
Again, Papa reminded me that He is love, that He gave it all for us, and that if He has gifted me with this love in my heart – this part of Him in me – who am I to not give it away knowing that more will always be poured in?
When we openly rebuke someone, love is neither given or received. But love isn’t love till you give it away – if it’s hidden, that love hasn’t been given or been able to be received either. To withhold love from someone is no better than rebuking that person. But to give love is the purpose of having love.
This realization was a sweet reminder of who Papa has created me to be, and honestly who He has created all of us to be. He’s filled our hearts with love so we can give it away, for “whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me” but “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25).
Be encouraged my friends. When we genuinely love, we can know that we’re walking hand in hand with our Papa in Heaven. He’s got us, and He’ll fill us until we overflow with Him and His love, for He is love.
