Share His Love

"Share His love by telling what the Lord has done for you," a line from an old hymn.  Our recent winter weather has been so different and sometimes very threatening.  My pastor's recent focus has been on helping us build and enhance our relationships with God. He has been setting us up to hear the voice of the Lord.  He's been encouraging us to not merely ask God in prayer for whatever but to be still and listen to hear the voice of God.  Most recently, our assignment was to ask God what He'd have us do for the next 24 hours.  On this past Monday morning, I did just that.

 Early evening, I had to make a decision regarding whether we'd open our child development program the next day.  By this time, every school system in the county and surrounding counties had already closed, local colleges were closed, many children day cares were closed, the weather forecast suggested close.  For all practical purposes, we were closed because we tell our parents and caregivers that we follow Birmingham City Schools.  We also reserve the right to do differently. So for us specifically, my strong sense was to wait until I saw something.  When saying this to the director of our program, I expected her to debate my suggestion.  But she didn't, she simply said she'd let staff know to wait on our decision.  My strong sense went against everything I was hearing and what everybody else was doing.  Was this rational?  Was it a reasoned and informed decision?  Amid it all, I felt so at peace with the choice.

 So I waited, the staff team waited.  The early Tuesday morning forecast showed rain throughout the day with temperatures above freezing until late night.  So open we did, not at the usual time of 6:30 a.m. but at 9:00 a.m.  For many of our parents who needed our service, we were available to provide it. Wow, I have to share His love by telling what the Lord has done for me.

 

 And that's not the end of the story.  The following evening, all the school systems again closed.  My strong sense remained to wait until I saw something.  It was easier this second time around to trust what I realized God had advised me to do.  Wednesday morning rolled around, temperatures above freezing, rain, an afternoon forecast for chance of light dusting of snow.  So again, we opened an hour earlier at 8:00 a.m.  Even more of our parents took advantage of our being open when the schools, and colleges, and many day care programs were closed. And we were able to remain open until two o'clock.  Wow, I must share His love by telling what the Lord has done for me.  I asked Him to let me know what He would have me do for the next 24 hours, and He gave me insight into how to respond to the weather conditions.

 You too must "share His love by telling what the Lord has done for you."

I Love to Tell the Story

Words from an old hymn are "I love to tell the story ... of Jesus and His love."  In the aftermath of Birmingham's most recent and surprisingly harsh winter storm, how many of you have a story?  What is your story? How did Jesus show His love to and for you?  At The Guiding Light Church where I was, I learned a bit of the stories of many.  I recall a mother who arrived before noon to pick up her youngest child after having already picked up her twins from their school.  Four hours later, I saw her getting out of her car with the three children in tow.  She realized that she was unable to get home and so returned to the church for refuge.  What better place to seek refuge than where Jesus lives and rules and reigns.  The four of them were there until late morning two days later.  I can only imagine the children singing "yes, Jesus loves me."

 I love to tell the story of the mother and father who left their three year old on that Tuesday morning.  Mother was unable to pick up her precious child until late Thursday morning.  This mother and father experienced the love of Jesus as their child stayed peacefully through two nights away from them. Then, there's the story of the father who finally arrived safely to pick up his daughter.   Realizing that his wife was stuck in Hoover and he'd be unable to get up the hill to their home, he said "we might as well stay here with y'all."  So for the two days, they did.  And then, I'd love to hear the story of the pregnant mom who came to pick up her young child, stayed, and experienced the love of Jesus.

 A grandmother and grandfather picked up their two grandsons and realized their inability to get back to their home.  Grandmother's thought was, "let's go the church."  In her heart, she realized (without knowing for a certainty) that the church must be open.  And open it was.  For a full day, they experienced the love of Jesus, though not at their home, yet at home in His house.

 "The love of God is greater far than tongue or pen can ever tell" -- words from another old hymn.  Two seniors, both 80+, spent the night at the church.  One of them, our staff person in Adult Day Care, was asked to take the other senior, our client, home.  They left the church shortly after 2:00 p.m., but returned a short while later after realizing that the drive was treacherous.  Ask either of them about the love of God.  Any story that does not tell of the love of Jesus or the love of God is incomplete.  So, what is your story?