Honduras has taught me a lot about love. God’s love for me. My love for others. Romantic love. Friendship love. Love for the toughest people to love- the ones who resist it, the ones who abuse it and the ones who take it for granted.
I’m one of those people. It’s actually common ground for the people I’m trying to love. I don’t know many people who resist love unless it is foreign to them. It doesn’t make sense for me to. I’m not a stranger to love. Only those who are believing lies resist love. Lies that say this love isn’t real, they have to take what they can get, that they aren’t worth it, don’t deserve it, that they have to earn it, it’s conditional. I’m guilty of STILL finding myself believing lies like that. My lie is that I’m not enough, and that what I have to offer is not enough to deserve grace, love and recognition from anyone, including God.
What a bold faced lie.
Fortunately, truth outshines the lies. My future in this love is brighter than any flashback of lust. God is still waiting on the porch waiting for this prodigal to return to truth. Every. Single. Time. In fact, when He sees realizations of truth dawn on my face, He can’t wait. He runs to meet me with more love and more truth, and claims me as His. How sweet.
I was thinking, what a wonderful feeling it is to be claimed by another human being. This my daughter/niece/friend/best pal/girlfriend. Granted some of those relationships are familialy obligatory but they don’t have to own them. I know many relationships that have been disowned. But they choose to claim me. Probably because for the most part, I’m pretty nice.
But being claimed is not the same as being owned. There is freedom in claiming and captivity in being owned. They are so, so very different. And Christ claims us as His own people, a people set apart and chosen for a very great purpose. Claimed.
We are free. Because of His great love for us, He died and rose again for us. SO that we could not doubt is love. And still we believe lies. We MUST stop this. It was for freedom that He set us free. People of God, Jesus loves you. You are loved. Beloved Ones, BE LOVED. Just be loved by Him. It’s easier to see and believe than you think.
Just start thanking him. Be sarcastic if need be. “Thank you Lord for this burnt dinner”. Maybe you’ll come to realize you have appliances with which you can burn food. And plates to eat off of. And cutlery, and someone with which you can share burnt food. Under a roof, in a kitchen, in a country where you can freely thank a Saviour who loves you enough to let you burn your food to give you a new perspective.
This is what I am learning in Honduras. Much love to you all. Be Blessed today.
Pray today;
for my computer to get fixed in Nicaragua. Not having it available complicates things surprisingly alot
safety to Nicaragua
my identity in Christ to be solidified
