This is becoming a trend in my life recently… and I love it.
I was getting dressed a few mornings ago while God and I were having a little conversation. I will be honest. It was mostly me talking. He’s really gracious like that. He lets me talk and talk and talk and when I’m good and done telling Him all about how I think it should be… well… Just listen to the story. You will see. I was telling Him that I have a burden on my heart to feed hungry babies and give mommas help who need it. I was telling Him all about how I wanted to sponsor children and donate to organizations that provide for those specific needs. He’s a great listener. Did you know that? God who created all things and formed the universe loves it when we share our hearts with Him… Really. He is the best.
So, after I got done “talking,” and went about doing the rest of my morning routine, I had an idea pop into my heart. Sometimes we have good ideas and sometimes Jesus gives us brilliant ideas. We can be sure they are His because they are usually something that we wouldn’t have come up with ourselves, and they are brilliant because, well, He is God.
“Buy formula and take it to mommas who need it.”
“That’s a great idea! How am I going to find those mommas?”
“Take it to the apartment complexes in town and the ladies in the office will know the mommas who have little babies.”
“Yes! That’s perfect!”
So, that is exactly what the kiddos and I did today.
First, I prepped them. “Hey guys, you know how Jesus loves it when we share?!”
– Heads nodding yes over princesses and hotwheels…
“Well, Jesus asked us to go buy formula for mommas with little babies who need it!”
– My son who wants to know the “why” to everything and exactly “how” everything works said, “Ummm… who has little babies? Why don’t they have any food?”
“Well, sometimes mommas and daddies just need a little help. God wants them to know that He loves them and loves their little babies and so we are going to take them food.”
– “Who?”
“We are going to go to some places in town that we have never been before and we are going to give some baby food to the people who work there. Then those people will give it to the mommas who need it.”
– “OK, momma.”
So, we made a quick stop by the local everything store and grabbed four cans of formula.
The kids asked me if they could buy a toy. “No, babies. Remember that we are buying things for other people today.” I made our purchase, and I looked up on my phone where I could find the apartment complexes in town.
We made two quick stops and I told the ladies in both offices exactly what I have shared with you. The first lady agreed to get it to mommas with new babies and said “God Bless You” as we left. The lady at the second stop kept asking for me to leave my name so the people who received the formula could properly thank me. She was almost upset when I told her I wouldn’t. I wanted her to tell those mommas that Jesus loves them and wanted to provide for their needs. I just got to be the person who shared His love. In less than an hour, I had done exactly what God told me to do and was able to meet a local need to feed hungry babies. No greater feeling, folks. No greater feeling than hearing God and doing what He asks you to do.
I’m not sharing this post so that I can have you pat me on the back, or point to what I have done as I crown to wear. Just the opposite. I want you to be inspired, friends. I want you to listen for God in the everyday. I want you to see how much He loves YOU, because He does! He isn’t mad at you. There isn’t anything you could ever do to lose His love because there isn’t anything you could ever do to earn it. It is the scandal of a gracious God who pursues a hopeless sinner with nothing to gain but relationship with them YOU. Can you hear Him? Are you confident of His love? Because once you are sure of how much God loves YOU, it becomes your responsibility to tell/share/show EVERYONE just how much God loves THEM too.
So, I got back into our little van and cried. I cried because I realized just how selfish I have been. I have been selfish with my time. I have been selfish with my money, and tragically, I have been selfish with my love. I have been selfish with His love. Four little cans of formula. Surely there is more work to be done. Friends. I pray that this would take root in your heart. I hope that the love of Jesus would so captivate your heart that you wouldn’t be able to contain it… that you wouldn’t be able to stop sharing and acting and telling everyone you encounter about His goodness and His grace. There are plenty of needs in this world. God sees all of them. What he is searching for are willing hands and hearts to meet those needs through His love and by the power of the Holy Spirit.
