Love
In 2009 I was part of an Operation Christmas Child (OCC) / Samaritan’s Purse (SP) Missions Team in Matagalpa, Nicaragua. On another occasion I hope to tell you more about handing out shoeboxes and the great work SP does to help build healthy communities. But this story is about something else…
In what I can only call a God-thing, we made an unexpected visit to an addiction rehabilitation center isolated deep into the mountains. This was no 5-star facility; the buildings were simple constructions and hardly appeared to be permanent structures. We brought medical supplies, doctors for checkups, used glasses, and all the support services.
Among the residents were about a dozen boys, the youngest being nine years old—we made sure they got shoeboxes too. After spending time with them, hearing their stories and helping at the care tents, we had church with them late in the afternoon in the open rainforest air.
I led a few worship songs, and one of the travelling pastors shared a message of hope. An older chaplain came up with his beat-up, slightly detuned guitar to lead us in a closing song. The song was "I Have A New Love"—a popular Spanish worship song from the early 90's. The chorus says, "I have a new love, one I could not imagine I would find. There is One that says to me 'I truly love you.' Jesus, my love and sweet peace."
The couple hundred residents exploded in worship! Every single one had their hands raised, belting out this chorus; some dropped to their knees, others jumped for joy, and many wept. We later found out that they sang this song daily at Chapel, yet they did not tire when singing of His love.
There are some things that only the love of God can do—these men and children knew that well! So, they sang about it, sang of the love that snatched them from Satan's grip and placed them in the arms of the Good Shepherd.
This example may feel quite jarring and perhaps out of touch with the realities of our daily lives, but in our unique ways, we experience brokenness, too. And I'm sure if you were to think back, you could testify to how only God's love brought you through.
Jesus' love for you is always enough, His measure is perfect, always abundant. This Advent week, reflect on His love for you. And as you reflect, may you be filled, and as you're filled, may you pour out His love into those around you.
"When I think of the wisdom and scope of his plan, I fall down on my knees and pray to the Father of all the great family of God—some of them already in heaven and some down here on earth—that out of his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you the mighty inner strengthening of his Holy Spirit. And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts, living within you as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love; and may you be able to feel and understand, as all God's children should, how long, how wide, how deep, and how high his love really is; and to experience this love for yourselves, though it is so great that you will never see the end of it or fully know or understand it. And so, at last, you will be filled up with God himself." (Ephesians 3:14-19 TLB)
Written by:
Danilo Montes Rodriguez
