Heart to Heart
LOVE is literally the heart of the Gospel. It was God’s great love that led to Jesus being sent on the mission to save fallen humanity. “For God so loved the broken, rebellious world that He gave His one & only Son...” (J.3:16). That steadfast “hesed” covenant love is all-encompassing and worth more than life itself – God’s love never fails, never runs out. Christ is the embodiment of that love (Romans 5:8), and He invites you & I as His disciples to follow in His footsteps.
This is the one debt that never goes away (Romans 12:9). We’re called to “love our neighbors”, no matter who they are or what the price. Only that kind of love, will fulfill God’s commandments. A love that does no wrong to one’s fellow human beings. Easier said, than done though. Right?
During our recent trip to Senegal, six of us experienced slices of this deep, relentless love in real time. We didn’t have to speak Pulaar or Wolof to give voice to God’s agape love. We simply needed to let Christ’s love flow through us, into the lives of those people we met & spent time with.
Our hearts were melted by the help & hope were extended to those who had almost nothing to lean on. This is a picture of nurse Mary, with Awa. I love the joy on their faces. Mary was nursing Awa back to health after part of her leg had to be amputated due to a botched surgery in another place. Seeing Awa (Eve) responding to Jesus’ love flowing thru Mary, made a an unforgettable impact in my heart.
I’m thinking of a village we visited, where we were introduced to a man who had lost his wife, leaving him alone to raise his young children. Pape Diop celebrated how God answered the prayers of previous Envision team that had prayed for him to find a new wife. A short time later, he found a woman in another village up north, who was willing to leave her own people, in order to be his wife, and become a mother to his children. Pape Diob rejoiced at how his dire need had been met so quickly.
When Seby took us to visit this village, we saw how the other men had used “Farming God’s Way” principles to turn desert into productive gardens. Recently Pape Diop was gifted with a piece of desert land from a village leader. He was super excited when Seby told him that our team would be providing the funds to drill a well and purchase the water pump that is needed to irrigate his desert land and turn it into productive farmland to feed his family. Tears of joy fills his eyes. We look forward to seeing streams of living water touching Pape Diob’s heart, as we partner with Seby, him in agriculture project.
I remember us sitting in a living room and listened to a young couple describe their ministry to street boys (Talibe). They dream of a ministry center where the boys can learn a life skill, while discovering what the Bible says about Jesus. But they’re not waiting for that dream to become reality. Basse & Soda (who recently lost a child of their own), have opened their hearts and home to 4 Talibe boys to come and live with them. They actively seek other Talibe boys in their city, and seek to reunite them to their families. That act of love is opening hearts and lives to hear about Jesus.
There are so many more stories from our time in Senegal that could be told. But what about the neighbor love stories being written by God, right here & right now in Billings, MT, through His people?
Thanks to those who loved on a family in Billings that none of us knew. But they were in deep need with a major family health crisis and you extended Christ’s love to them. Thanks to those that have gone the extra mile with the homeless and those just passing thru Billings (heading south for a warmer place to stay in the winter). I’m grateful for the love shown to shut-ins and the sick. I celebrate being part of a church that loves like Jesus. May we all keep leaning in, keep loving, and not grow weary of doing good!
I can’t think of a better Valentine’s gift than to love the people around us with deep compassion and a trust in Jesus that humbly prays for God to water & nurture the Gospel seeds, causing new life to spring up. Hey, it’s winter out there today, but the promise of new life is just around the corner.
Pastor Adriaan & Diana <><
Onward, upward, to greater glory (Phil.3:14) - EXCELSIOR