Heart, hands, feet and mind

Freshman year of college I had a professor teach on the topic of loving the Lord your God will heart, soul, mind, and strength. Later that semester I had another professor share about the mind and heart.  The heart we use for the kingdom to serve the Lord and love people is a mind thing. Now, fast-forward my life to the time after college. I was listening to a Podcast about loving the world like Jesus does. That was my prayer. Many times on this trip I have realized how often I have not taken the time to love the people in my family the way I should. The same applies to my friends and coworkers. On this trip I have felt the Lord tell me to go back and love the world just as He does. This is not simply about praying about something and doing it. Christ wants me to love the world with my heart, hands, feet and mind.

On speaking about love, I want to show it with boldness and faithfulness to the Lord. I want to see the world like Jesus does. Time and time again we have studied the passion the Lord has for his people. He protected them, forgave them, and even provided for them. If we are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus we have to start with love. Growing up I had always been part of mission work and loving people with my actions. I can do that in my work place as well by going the extra mile. This involves helping out even when I have many things to do. I can help with small jobs around the house and serve the people who are elderly on my street. The past two years I have been able to be a part of a precept bible study at my church. This study was a wonderful experience because I had the opportunity to share and in return have people pour into my life. I want to return that love and teaching and poor into freshman girls at our local girls’ college. I want to love these girls so they too will see the world like Jesus does, with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Today on our Bible tour we had the opportunity to recommit our life to Christ by Mikveh. I shared with the group that my mission is to love the world like Christ does. I have been blessed to experience this journey three years after my sister did when she took part in the same trip with Eric and Meredith.  I have seen a change in my sister. In recent emails on this trip we talked about being set apart like Mary was. I pray from this trip on that I will be set apart and when the world sees me they will see my heart for the kingdom. I hope to love my community no matter what. Last night we had the privilege of swimming in the Mediterranean Sea. This is the fourth place we have swum in on this trip. Actually, make that the third sea, but the Dead Sea is in two different countries. One of the common themes for all these locations is the beautiful sunsets. The vast ray of colors in the sunsets is truly a sign on how simple Gods love for his people on earth is. The time we have in the Holy Land is quickly coming to a close, but the Lord’s work is not done with any of us. It will not be until we meet him face to face in heaven. We will stumble when we get back but the power of love He has for His people is more then we can imagine. I hope my love for His people will be forever changing and growing. It is going to be hard and challenging but nothing we do for the Kingdom is going to be easy. That realization is part of being something greater then ourselves.

After our time in the Jordan River we headed to the other teaching spots of Jesus’ lifetime.  The last place we explored was the city gates of the people of Jesus’ time that were full of wickedness and sexual desires. Jesus told his disciples to build the church on the city gates. He added that they needed to go out be the light in the city that needs the Gospel. Be humble and loving to all people. The disciples were young when they followed Jesus and had to learn a great deal in a short period of time. Like so many places in our lives we need to go out and share the Gospel with the lost, sick, and poor. We have to love them and show them Jesus by our actions and words so they will have Jesus in a broken world. As I walked and rode to many places where Jesus performed His ministry, it hit home. When it was hot, there were times we wanted to just ride on the bus instead of get out and walk in His land with a purpose.  Jesus never gave up and showed the disciples over and over again this example when the people did not understand. Jesus shows us love by coming to Earth in human form, sharing and teaching the Gospel, and doing it with His whole heart. We can easily do this as well in the short period of time we have here on Earth with friends, family, co-workers and beyond.

Love the world like Jesus does.

Katie