#5 Open-Hearted Love

The clouds are gathering outside as I sit by my bedroom window at work. The wind has picked up and the water out in the bay has turned to a dark-grey color as it churns back and forth. I know the sun is shining, but I cannot see it as before. The cool air keeps me inside where it is warm and where I can escape from the biting wind. This kind of weather is beautiful in its own sort of way, but I do not think that I would actually label it as beautiful in my mind. These kind of grey, windy days display power and fierce strength; they make me think of the storms that I go through in my heart. God is the maker of these days, and His power far exceeds them. God is also the one who gives these kind of days for His own reasons that I do not know. 

 

As I have shared the heart-lessons God has taught me over the past several months, I have written down my thoughts on OPENNESS. Looking at the world and our lives with open-eyed wonder frees our lips to join in with all of creation in GIVING THANKS to the Lord who has given us the gift of life. As we pour our lives into this thanksgiving our eyes are open even wider to the great love God has for us, and we find courage to live in open-handed trust. The Lord is the Giver of all good things and all His gifts are good. Sometimes we do not understand why He gives us the gifts He does or why He takes away the gifts He's given or why He makes us wait for His gifts, but we can be sure that as we live out each day with our hands open He will surely fill our lives with rich blessings---and He Himself is the greatest blessing of all! One more thing I would like to share right now as the winds howl outside and the storm gathers is about living with an open heart. You know it is quite inspiring to write all this down and I am also inspired to read what I have written, but when it comes to going back at this thing we call living, I find it rather difficult and painful. I love sharing these lessons God has taught me but living them is another story. But this next thing that I will share is what enables me to press on and push through the struggles and push through the pain. Of course I can only live each new day by God's grace, as His strength and power enable me to stand firm through the storms of life, but this next thing adds an amazing sweetness to life's hardships. 

As we live in openness we learn forgetfulness of self, but even as I live in open-eyed wonder and open-handed trust, my flesh loves to rise its ugly head and remind me of my pain and my hurt. It does not like to see selflessness grow inside of me and it will do all to turn my eyes back to myself so that I live with closed eyes and closed hands. But praise the Lord that He has given us a powerful weapon that we can wield when the temptation to live selfishly arises in our hearts! This weapon finds it life in open-hearted love. For when our eyes are open to see God's love then our hands will also open to receive it, and as God's love transforms us from the inside out than our hearts will burst open with His love which we can lavish on others. The best medicine that I could ever give myself when I am sad and discouraged is to help someone else. The most encouraging thing I can do when I am struggling to wait on the Lord is to turn my eyes off of me and serve someone else. Trust me, I am not very good at following my own advice, but little by little God is working in my heart and teaching me to not just share the lessons He teaching me but also to practice them.

  

Life is not fun at all when we are focused on ourselves. And it can be especially difficult for us deep thinkers and analytical types because we are so set on wanting to be like Jesus! The wanting to be like Jesus is not the problem, but the preoccupation with ourselves and our performance is because we forget that God has placed us in this world to LIVE and enjoy His gift of LIFE. We cannot forget that in God's sight we are like Jesus and in fact when He sees us, He sees Him. But what about all my sin? What about all the areas I have messed up today?

WHAT ABOUT THE CROSS!

Let us not forget the cross! Jesus has already washed our sins away and now He wants us to cling to that truth and to love one another as He has loved us. 

I was reciting Philippians 2 to myself today and I was struck by some of the words that Paul used to describe Jesus when He came to earth..."He made Himself NOTHING...taking the very nature of a SERVANT...he became OBEDIENT to death even death on a cross...". Now we are to follow in Jesus' steps. We are to make ourselves nothing, taking on the role of a servant, and becoming obedient to whatever the Lord may ask of us. 

Right now I am finishing up my time in the Coast Guard with only 50 more work days left! God has called me to live here in Eastport where I feel very much alone. My family has been so far away from me (though I am very happy that my parents and younger siblings will be moving to Vermont here very soon...just in time for me to move!) along with my fiance whom I desperately long to be with. God has not given me a difficult cup to drink, but it has been a long one that has required endurance and perseverance. My heart feels worn out and ready to give up. Yet in the midst of my weariness as I learn to wait with joy God has not left me for a moment. Out of my pain, God is teaching me the beauty and joy of living for others. God is showing me how to know Him more fully and to experience His joy more deeply. I could not have learned all these wondrous lessons without suffering, and now as I look back I see all of this---the waiting, the loneliness, the soul struggles---as beautiful gifts from my God. I would never have thought to ask God for gifts like these, but in His kindness He has given them to me. Perhaps I am happy when these kind of gifts come to an end, but I am left changed forever by the impact they have had on my life and I am left gazing with wide-eyed wonder at my awesome God who is faithful to work in my heart. 

Day by day I am learning the joy of being a servant for it goes hand in hand with living in openness before the Lord. All these lovely lessons build on each other and yet need each other for without one I think the rest would fall away. 

So in open-hearted love, I seek to share and pour out on others all of the love God has poured out on me. I cannot keep God's love to myself for it is something that must be shared. It is a beauty that only gets more beautiful the more people it is shared with and a joy that only becomes more wonderful as it is poured out more and more. 

Do you long to know joy? Do you long to know Christ more deeply? Do you long to live the open life that I have been talking of? 

Then do this...

Step outside and witness the power and creativity of God in Creation,

Open His word and be amazed at the Love and kindness of God in Jesus,

Step out in faith with open eyes, hands, and heart and Give Thanks to God for all things,

And find someone to bless. Do not keep God's gift to yourself, but share His love with others.

In this is joy and you will find it in abundance, when you will make it your aim to bless and encourage the people God has placed in your life. Start by praying for them. Then perhaps encouraging them with your words or a note. Perhaps you live with your family and you can work out God's love by serving those around you. Remember sometimes a smile will bless someone more than your words ever could. 

I do not live with people right now, but at work I do. So I was looking for ways to serve my co-workers today because I was feeling sad and struggling to press on. I did the dishes and cleaned up after lunch...and do you know what? IT FELT GREAT! It took my eyes of of myself and made me think of how blessed I am to know the love of the Almighty, Living God who has made me His own precious child.