You know what I mean, right? We all have these bubbles we live in. Especially those of us who are stay at home, homeschooling mommas. It's so easy to settle into this niche of home, activities, church, Bible study, and menu planning. It's easy to create a safe place for your children and surround them with good, godly influences. And we should. Before I walked in this place, I had a job (actually, two or more usually). I served in a church in an official staff capacity. I went to college. In each of those walks, I had bubbles. I had good, solid Christian friends. I had faithful church attendance. I volunteered and donated my money. I was a good person. I was in a comfortable, religious bubble. And it was a safe place for a maturing young woman to be.
But it's harder to realize that we aren't called to live our lives exclusively in that bubble. In fact, I'm coming to think we're not even supposed to really live in it at all. I think I'm supposed to pop mine.
Why? Because God is telling me to. He is stirring inside of me a desire that is burning hotter than anything in my life has ever burned. He is calling me with a Voice so alluring I am willing to leave this life I love so desperately behind and not look back. He is seeking me with a vengeance that is humbling but also seductive; in the face of such great Love, my heart is powerless to resist.
It's Beautiful. It's Furious. It's Welcoming. It's Demanding. It's Everything.
And I don't totally get it yet. But I'm learning.
But I am starting to understand a few basic truths. First, love is a lot bigger than I ever understood it to be. I mean, think about it. It's patient, kind, selfless, doesn't keep a record of wrongs, humble, thinks of others first, and never fails. Ever. So when I say I love someone ... I'm thinking it's more accurate to say that I'm trying my best to love them, but I'm going to fall short. I always understood this definition of love, but one of my bubbles was that I was content with the knowledge that I could never really live it out. I mean, I'm a sinner. So obviously I'll mess it up, right?
Now, I'm not so sure. You see, God doesn't command us to do things we can never succeed at. He doesn't set us up for failure. If He did, then He wouldn't be Love. And yet, Jesus tells us the first commandment - the single most important thing He wants us to do - is to love God. And not just think warm, fuzzy thoughts about Him, but really love Him. Love Him so much that it hurts. Love Him without fail. Love Him with our thoughts, with our lives, with an all consuming passion that takes over all of us (heart, soul, mind, body, strength).
But here's the real kicker ... there's a second commandment so close in importance to the first, that Jesus Himself ties the two together as the most important things we can do. He says the Law and the Prophets literally hang on two things. Just two. Deceptively simple sounding! So what's the next one?
Well, it's eerily like the first, albeit (for this momma) *much* harder. To love my neighbor as myself. Insight? First, I am told to Love God and Love People. But delving into that I find that the two are not stepping stones; they are entwined. I cannot truly love people unless I love God because God Himself is Love. BUT I can't love God unless I love people (says so right in 1 John 4:7-8).
I'm going to keep studying what comes out of this place ... I'd love feedback :) What does this look like? And I'm not talking about Sundays, friends. What does it look like EVERY. DAY. OF. THE. WEEK? I know it involves popping every bubble I have that makes me feel safe and comfortable!
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