Thoughts

Earlier this week my husband discovered that there was a Christian concert in Missoula. Since it is so rare to have good Christian concerts in Montana of all places with tickets for an amazingly reasonable price, we decided to drive the two-and-a-half hours to go. That concert was last night. It was such a blessing. The attitudes of the performers were God-honoring, the music was encouraging, and we had a wonderful time of conversation in the car (since my husband has been working crazy overtime hours this week, we really needed the time to talk).

Little Man stayed with my parents, and since we got home extremely late, he spent the night. It was my first night away from him. I am glad he was good-as-gold, but I wouldn't have minded being missed a little more. ; ) He sure was glad to see me this morning, though, and was sweetly more cuddly than usual. Right now he is sleeping, and since I am taking it a bit easy this morning after my long night, I have some time to share some thoughts inspired by the concert last night.

The first performer sang and accompanied himself with the guitar. It was a beautiful, simple, and uncluttered sound, and his message was encouraging. I am going to share the lyrics to one of the songs he sang. Before he sang it, he shared that this song was written as he was thinking of Christ's love and how we, as Christians should show that love to others. Here are the words:

When shadows turn to faces, and when faces take on names
When names tell us their stories, of their brokenness and pain
When love flows through the cities, through the grid of all the streets
Under bridges in the alleys, like blood though our veins

Love is real
Love will bleed
Love will heal
Love will need

When love is used like money, it turns into our greed
When love is more like water, then everyone will drink
So let it flow though all our cities, and flood them like the sea
Fill the souls that hunger, Lord, give us what we need

Love change the world
Love change the world

You can see it when He walks around
You can feel it when he moves the ground
We're all colored with a crimson stain
Can you see it now, can you see Him now

From the clouds to the world below
From the mountain to the city of gold
Love is coming like an urgent rain
Can you feel it now, can you feel Him now

Michael Watson

I was especially touched by the part where he compares love to money or water. I am afraid that sometimes I do use my love, or perhaps it should be called an appearance of love, for selfish reasons: to get my own way, to look good to others, to "buy" favors and applause. But true love doesn't ask to receive. True love is like giving a cup of water, no strings attached, to quench some one's thirst. True love is loving the unlovely and not demanding any return. That is the kind of love Christ has for me. And because He loved me, I am able to love Him! And my love for Him motivates me to love those He loves.

I am challenged to find ways here in my own home, my home church, my own town, to selflessly love in the way Christ loves me. To lovingly serve my husband and son in a reflection of Christ's selfless service, to truly love those at church who I find especially difficult to get along with, to find ways to reach out in my community in love and to give God the entire glory for it. May God give me strength to persevere, to not be lazy, to always point others to Him!

"Little children,

let us not love with word or with tongue,

but in deed and truth."

I John 3:18