Monday, January 14, 2008

Radical love

On sat and sunday night I went to conference with Heidi Baker, and my heart was deeply blessed by the testimonies and stories she shared about the poor and her ministry. One of the stories was about a Pastor A in Africa who was attacked and murdered by someone who was anti-christian. The church prayed for the pastor, and on the way to hospital, he rose from the dead. But his mouth was swollen from the beating. The police found the murderer and called pastor B who was with pastor A. Pastor B put the phone next to Pastor A, who said with his swollen mouth, pls forgive him (the murderer). The next day Pastor A's swollen mouth and body was totally healed, and he could go to church. There, he met the man who tried to murder him, at the church, who gave his life to Jesus. Since then, the man has become a pastor. :)

Another story speaks of Heidi reaching out to a man on the streets who cursed at her to 'Go to hell' for the 2 years that she tried to reach out to him. Nevertheless, she always brought food there and tried to chat with him because she loved him with the love of Christ. One day she was attacked by this other lady, and the man (patrick) saw it and wanted to call the police. But Heidi knew if he called the police, the lady would be jailed, so she stopped him. And eventually, Patrick covered her and brought her to safety. He started crying and said for 2 years, u have been sharing with me about Christ, now I understand the love of Christ demonstrated in you.

There were many stories Heidi shared as she talked about the Riches of the poor, from testimonies of ple rising from the dead, to miraculous salvations, to God's provision through multiplying of bread etc etc. But I was deeply blessed by the radical love that was demonstrated through these stories. In which they reached out to the prostitutes, the homeless, the abused (rape and violence), the hungry on the streets, the unwanted, and wasn't this really, God's incarnate love.

There were altar calls on two nights to kneel before the Lord and to surrender our lives to Him. I felt Jesus poured out His love for me, that it flowed freely through me. :) And Jesus told me that He was the lover of my soul that I need not seek it in another. My mouth was filled with praises and songs unto Him. I felt the deep compassion of Christ for the lost and the broken and I asked Him, how can I meet those needs. It was only through the free flowing love that He gave to us. And it was in the strengthening of the inner man through the revelation of God's love. (Eph 3:16) Suddenly I felt boldness.

I am not sure how my life may change after this. I did not respond to the call for full-time missionaries. I don't know if this is God's call for my life, I pray He will guide. In spite of my constant sharings about my heart for the poor & marginalized, I don't know if my heart is really that big. If it has space for so many people, and that when I say I give my life to Christ, whether I am really willing to love His people to the extend of sacrificing my life for them. I am scared what this call really means and need to continue to pray that what He has birthed in my heart will become clearer by the day. I hope that I may look beyond myself inwardly and instead look towards the source and His finished work. It is finished, and His love so unconditionally poured out on us.

1 comment:

mrehmreh said...

^_^ i like