Did You Learn To Love?
Ever since Christy and I came back from our ministry trip to Kansas City, we’ve felt like we’ve been in a new season where the Lord has been speaking to us on a different level than what we’ve experienced before. That weekend was the fulfillment of a number of things the Lord has spoken to us and the birthing of new things for the future. Since we’ve come back to Cedar Rapids the Lord has continued to speak to us in new ways. It’s really been exciting. But in all the excitement I’ve felt the Lord calling us aside, wanting to speak something important that will give us direction for the future. Though the ministry trip was amazing, I am positive Jesus is looking for something more. The truth was He was looking for my heart.
Something that keeps coming back to me in this whole process is the story of Jesus training and sending out the seventy disciples in Luke 10. They come back excited about the amazing things God has done through their hands. "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name," is their declaration. Jesus, like any good coach joins in their excitement. He rejoices with them that the power of God is flowing in their lives. But after rejoicing with them He pulls them together and says, “Guys, I love your excitement, but there is something even higher than what you’ve experienced.” What He really says is, “"Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven," (Luke 10:20).
Last night the Lord spoke to me as I was hashing this out with Him. He said, “Travis, I want you to be more excited about being a son than about being a slave.” And all of the sudden my heart melted. I realized again that God’s design on me isn’t just to be someone who does powerful things for Him, but someone who thoroughly enjoys a relationship with Him. My service will come from that. I was excited that God did what He said. But the Creator, the One who formed me, the only One who is Holy—He is jealous for my attention.
The reality of this nailed me the other day on one of my breaks. I happened to have a random set from the International House of Prayer in Kansas City loaded onto my wife’s mp3 player at work. On it Misty Edwards was singing about wanting to know how to love. She began to sing out of a vision Bob Jones had where he went to heaven and was standing in line to be admitted into heaven. The question the Lord asked everyone before they were admitted into Heaven was “Did you learn to love?” And as she was singing I felt the weight of those words touch my soul. Misty continued singing as if to respond, “But Lord I prophesied, and I taught this class and did this thing and that thing…” and then would sing back as if the Lord was responding, “Did you learn to love?” And this is the great quest of our lives. Are we learning to love? Are we learning how to lay our lives down? Are we consumed?
This will be the measure of our ministry—was it filled with love? It will have nothing to do with the numbers of people who attended our meetings or how great the miracles were. The question of that hour…the one we need to be living for…is did we take what was most costly to us and lay it at His feet out of love. We even have to distance ourselves from asking how we can have the most impact in the Earth. Impact will come as we love Him well. If that hasn’t been your focus, join me in coming back to the only thing that really matters any way.
Something that keeps coming back to me in this whole process is the story of Jesus training and sending out the seventy disciples in Luke 10. They come back excited about the amazing things God has done through their hands. "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name," is their declaration. Jesus, like any good coach joins in their excitement. He rejoices with them that the power of God is flowing in their lives. But after rejoicing with them He pulls them together and says, “Guys, I love your excitement, but there is something even higher than what you’ve experienced.” What He really says is, “"Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven," (Luke 10:20).
Last night the Lord spoke to me as I was hashing this out with Him. He said, “Travis, I want you to be more excited about being a son than about being a slave.” And all of the sudden my heart melted. I realized again that God’s design on me isn’t just to be someone who does powerful things for Him, but someone who thoroughly enjoys a relationship with Him. My service will come from that. I was excited that God did what He said. But the Creator, the One who formed me, the only One who is Holy—He is jealous for my attention.
The reality of this nailed me the other day on one of my breaks. I happened to have a random set from the International House of Prayer in Kansas City loaded onto my wife’s mp3 player at work. On it Misty Edwards was singing about wanting to know how to love. She began to sing out of a vision Bob Jones had where he went to heaven and was standing in line to be admitted into heaven. The question the Lord asked everyone before they were admitted into Heaven was “Did you learn to love?” And as she was singing I felt the weight of those words touch my soul. Misty continued singing as if to respond, “But Lord I prophesied, and I taught this class and did this thing and that thing…” and then would sing back as if the Lord was responding, “Did you learn to love?” And this is the great quest of our lives. Are we learning to love? Are we learning how to lay our lives down? Are we consumed?
This will be the measure of our ministry—was it filled with love? It will have nothing to do with the numbers of people who attended our meetings or how great the miracles were. The question of that hour…the one we need to be living for…is did we take what was most costly to us and lay it at His feet out of love. We even have to distance ourselves from asking how we can have the most impact in the Earth. Impact will come as we love Him well. If that hasn’t been your focus, join me in coming back to the only thing that really matters any way.
posted by Travis at 4:26 PM
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