Transformed by Love

My dear wonderful art friends!

This past week we met again at the art building. This
time was a different, because although we usually pray
for the art building, this time we felt that we had to
know what the Lord was saying. Psalm 127 encouraged
us to seek what He was saying for us this day, this
semester..."Unless the LORD builds the house, its
builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over
the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain."

The time of waiting on the Lord was refreshing for all
of us, and though the directions from the Lord were
not given to us like a order of business, I am glad it
was not. God is our Master, but He is more also our
Lover, our Friend, closer than a brother, loving as a
Father.

Love. Instead of a list, or a strategy, He told us how
He longs for us, loves us and wants us to show this
love, build up, encourage, plant more trees and
disciple. It seems like it would be so simple to know
this, but I think so often, who am I that He would
love me? It is in this season I feel that we must
know this love. We must receive this love.

Why must we receive this love? In order to give away
we must already have what we want to give away,
usually in abundance. God has shown me recently that
when I ask for Him to expand my heart to love others I
must receive even more of His love. It is the
deepening of a well. I will not instantly be able to
love people more. I must receive more of His
precious, unconditional, undeserved love to fill this
deepened well. Nothing else matters unless this love
is first received. It sounds backwards to me...that I
should need to love people first, prove to God that I
am good at something, and then I can receive His love.
But that is what is backwards. Without all my
impressions and deeds God wants you and I to come, so
that He can love us, and He deeply longs for us to
receive this love.

That is what I pray for all of you that this will be
your joy this week...receiving in abundance His
extravegent love and finding exceeding joy in the
moments that He overflows through you to others!