Learning agape love a step at a time
Paul says the greatest gift of all is love...
and God has given us the greatest gift, He loves us.
Had made a simple prayer this morning that I wanna have this greatest gift, to love as well..
Verses that I hold on to since I was a young believer. But is always the spot that I fallen into..
Merly once told me3 years ago, that to love is give your 100%, and not asking anything in return, that is unconditional love; the agape love that God gives.
And till now, I still hold it very closely to my heart.
Yet, when it is just partly $500 apart for his glory, I am so reluctant. When the $500 is not even mine in the first place!!
Raised $500 from my 21st birthday party, requested for cash instead of gifts from my family and friends, wanting to sponsor the grads doing missions or to donate it to the on-going ministries in Cambodia...
I've known truly what will last eternally and what doesn't, and that receiving all the cool or favourite gifts, or anything that is "done under the sun, and behold, is vanity and striving after wind."
That brother had already die to self for His glory, what about me?
$500 to anyone else or to an working adult could be just something small, but yet to me, with my family faced with a temporary minor family crisis, it meant a whole lot of me.
"Dad, take my 5 loaves and 2 fishes, is little, but that is all that I've got...."
I wrestled for hours, in tears while praying, singing and pouring out to the Lord, knowing that this is what I have to do, no matter how insane or illogical it might seems. What sense and good does it take when Abraham have to sacrifice his son? I know I have to eventually obey and bring it to the alter.
Perhaps at the end of the day, I might not gain anything, but I've learnt a glimpse of what agape love is; giving your 100% and not asking for anything in return. Like Jesus who demonstrated his love for us, obedience to even die on the cross for sinners such as us, not asking for anything, but purely so out of a love that is outrageous and cannot be comprehended.
May you bless that brother so abundantly, that his book will be a blessing to many, that the readers will fully take heed the Great Commission in his or her own, and have a growing heart for taking the Gospel to the unreached.
How can they hear without someone preaching to them?
As I'm listing down my thoughts, He granted me peace in my heart, seemingly telling me that he is there with all the decision I've made, and he is sovereign, I just have to trust him, just like that little boy who gave his 5 loaves and 2 fishes, not knowing what will happen to it, not knowing if it's enough for the crowd, but he gives with a heart filled with trust, faith, and lastly, love.
and God has given us the greatest gift, He loves us.
Had made a simple prayer this morning that I wanna have this greatest gift, to love as well..
1 Cor 13:
If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
Verses that I hold on to since I was a young believer. But is always the spot that I fallen into..
Merly once told me3 years ago, that to love is give your 100%, and not asking anything in return, that is unconditional love; the agape love that God gives.
And till now, I still hold it very closely to my heart.
Yet, when it is just partly $500 apart for his glory, I am so reluctant. When the $500 is not even mine in the first place!!
Raised $500 from my 21st birthday party, requested for cash instead of gifts from my family and friends, wanting to sponsor the grads doing missions or to donate it to the on-going ministries in Cambodia...
I've known truly what will last eternally and what doesn't, and that receiving all the cool or favourite gifts, or anything that is "done under the sun, and behold, is vanity and striving after wind."
This summer break I didn't get to go Cambodia for missions, and was asking God how do He want me to spend the $500 for His Will. Initially, I thought of saving it for future mission trip after I graduate. But today, I felt a tugging in my heart to donate it to a brother in church who is going to publish a book about missions and obedience. How ironic that He has clearly speaks but my fumble heart kept asking Him for assurance and confirmation. I was so reluctant, and I just didn't want to do it, I felt that the $500 might be at better value by directly sponsoring the missionaries, or perhaps use it for the ladies working in streets, weekly allowance of 60 dollars is a huge difference to them, and i know that the ministry is in need financially to take care of the ladies and their family, or perhaps I could use it to help my Dad who is struggling financially at home. I told God that if it's not from you, it would be totally insane for me to do such a thing.
But very truly He told me, "unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds."That brother had already die to self for His glory, what about me?
$500 to anyone else or to an working adult could be just something small, but yet to me, with my family faced with a temporary minor family crisis, it meant a whole lot of me.
"Dad, take my 5 loaves and 2 fishes, is little, but that is all that I've got...."
I wrestled for hours, in tears while praying, singing and pouring out to the Lord, knowing that this is what I have to do, no matter how insane or illogical it might seems. What sense and good does it take when Abraham have to sacrifice his son? I know I have to eventually obey and bring it to the alter.
Perhaps at the end of the day, I might not gain anything, but I've learnt a glimpse of what agape love is; giving your 100% and not asking for anything in return. Like Jesus who demonstrated his love for us, obedience to even die on the cross for sinners such as us, not asking for anything, but purely so out of a love that is outrageous and cannot be comprehended.
May you bless that brother so abundantly, that his book will be a blessing to many, that the readers will fully take heed the Great Commission in his or her own, and have a growing heart for taking the Gospel to the unreached.
How can they hear without someone preaching to them?
As I'm listing down my thoughts, He granted me peace in my heart, seemingly telling me that he is there with all the decision I've made, and he is sovereign, I just have to trust him, just like that little boy who gave his 5 loaves and 2 fishes, not knowing what will happen to it, not knowing if it's enough for the crowd, but he gives with a heart filled with trust, faith, and lastly, love.
Comments