Pressing In

My heart says of you, “Seek his face!”  Your face, Lord, I will seek.  Psalm 27:8

I once read of a missionary family in Africa who served thousands of children in orphanages across the continent.  The petite blonde missionary woman was known as Mama to the entire multitude of children, and it seemed rather impossible for her to pour out her love to every single child in an intimate and personal way.  However, as I read her story, one thing stood out to me.  For at least an hour every morning, before opening her door to the world and the thousands of love-hungry children, she fully devoted herself to pressing into God.  She literally got on her face and sought his face.  Hungering for more and more of his presence, she cried out, pressed closer, and pleaded until she was so saturated with the Spirit that his love and mercy overflowed from her.

I don’t open my door to thousands of children calling me Mama on a daily basis.  In fact, there’s only one child.  But the principle is the same regardless of our phase of life: We must press in if we’re going to pour out.  How hungry for him are we?  How desperate are we?  He called us to love others more than we love ourselves (Luke 10:27), to lay down our lives for others (John 15:13), and to think of others more highly than ourselves (Philippians 2:3); however, to do any of these things we must be filled to overflowing from the Source.  We must love him first (Luke 10:27). 

I spent seven years teaching students with moderate mental disabilities.  Through the victories and defeats of those days, I learned what it means to press in for the presence of God.  Days when I didn’t press in overflowed with defeat and frustration by noon.  Other days, I remember sitting on my bedroom floor before getting ready for work and pleading that if he did not go before, I did not want to go (Exodus 33:15).  I remember pleading that the joy of his presence would radiate from me.  Those days didn’t often bring fewer challenges, but I was able to love with his love, which bears no comparison to my love. 

Stacey

Am I daily being still before the Lord to seek his face and press in for more of his presence?  How can I integrate this into my daily life? 

 

Valentine winner...

Our winner for today is Motta88...who subscribed to our blog!  

We will be sending you a copy of The Vow: a book of true events that inspired the movie. Two months after the Carpenters were married, a devastating car wreck left Krickitt with a massive head injury and in a coma for weeks. And yet, against all odds, but through the common faith in Christ that sustained them, Kim and Krickitt fell in love all over again. Even though Kim stood by Krickitt through the darkest times a husband can ever imagine, he insists, “I’m no hero. I made a vow.”

Please email us at hearttoheartgcac@comcast.net with your address!  Congrats & may your Valentines Day be filled with love!

Special Valentines giveaway...

Our winner for today is Brenda W who signed up for Ministry Updates!  She will receive a copy of Crazy Love by Francis Chan.

To celebrate Valentines day we will have a special giveaway tomorrow...enter now through tomorrow at 5 to be eligible!

Be sure to read today's post about perfect love! 

I Love You!

What words could be more valuable, more precious, more wonderful to hear than those? 

We all long to hear those words from someone dear to us.  They can be powerful words, motivating and inspiring us.  They help define who we are - we are loved.

The people of God have a tendency to forget that truth.  We let our circumstances cloud over the reality that we are indeed loved by a great God.  We can’t hear those truths, so we don’t live and talk and act like a people who are loved.

The people of God in exile in Babylon were in just such a circumstance.  To be put in exile for 70 years would certainly cause some to doubt God’s love!  But through the prophecy of Isaiah, God intends for His message of love to be heard, even in the midst of those difficult circumstances.

The end of Isaiah chapter 42 contains the hard truth that God was indeed the one who sent them into exile, which is part of His message to them, but in chapter 43 God writes Israel a poem that tries to convey a bigger message than that of His judgment.

Read the first 7 verses of chapter 43 to catch God’s true heart for them:

But now, this is what the Lord says-

He who created you, O Jacob,
He who formed you, O Israel;
 “Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I give Egypt for your ransom,
Cush and Seba in your stead.
Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
and because I love you,
I will give men in exchange for you,
and people in exchange for your life.
Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west.
I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’
Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth-
everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made.”       

There are certainly many things to be gleaned from this entire passage of scripture, but at the very heart of the poem is the main focus of His message.  God says “Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and I love you.”  Is there anything better?  God tells us straight out, “I love you.” 

Are there any other words we long to hear more than those?  How much time do we spend thinking about, worrying about, stressing over who will say those words to us?  We worry about our friends loving us, we worry about a spouse or future mate loving us, we worry about finding ways to earn that love, to be lovable.  And we worry that we will come up short.

But the love of God is the one thing that will never disappoint us.  He is the only source of truly unconditional love.  We will look for a love that will satisfy in many other places, but we were created so that only His perfect love can satisfy us.

In a sermon on this passage, Pastor Scott Grant said “We long for someone to speak the words of verse 4 to us.  We want to be precious in someone’s sight.  We want someone to honor us.  We want someone to love us.  The ears of our hearts want to hear these words more than any others.  Through the scriptures and the ministry of the Holy Spirit, these words are being spoken to you right now.  And remember who it is who’s speaking.  This is your creator, the Lord YOUR God, the Holy One of Israel, YOUR Savior.  Listen carefully and imaginatively to what He says to you, for these words can change your life: ‘You are precious in my sight.  You are honored.  I love you.’”

Hear those words today, don’t allow any circumstances to cloud that truth, and live as one who is well loved!

Melissa

How is God speaking love to you today?

Say I Love You

Today we have a lot of ideas - mostly free! That makes it a Fabulously Fun Free Friday!!!!!!

Cards & gifts are fun little ways to show someone you love them and that they are special to you. 

Take time this weekend to print out some free valentine cards, make some of the cute little gifts - just hop on over to the Fun Ideas page for all the info! 

Happy Valentine crafting!