Friday, May 14, 2010

Are You A Drip?

Do you ever feel like sharing God and his Word with someone, but chicken out? You want to share His joy, but Heaven knows (pun intended), you don’t want to be branded a “religious fanatic.” However Matthew 5:11-12 says “Blessed are you when people insult you...because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven.” So when someone calls you a “Jesus Freak” they are richly blessing you. Still most people are turned off by outspoken expressions of faith, so what can you do?

Don’t pour it heavy, just “Drip!” Drip is defined in the American Heritage Dictionary as “a gradual, but constant flow.” So start Monday when someone asks about your weekend. After filling them in on your fun filled Saturday night, throw in “and Sunday I went to church, and we had a terrific sermon.” Drip!

I purchased a “fish” pin (the symbol of Christianity) and wore it to work. When I greeted a visitor in the lobby, he asked me where I went to church. He said he noticed my pin, and that opened up a conversation where I could openly express my faith at work. The pin was a Drip!

When I overheard an acquaintance complain about her months of infertility and explain she was angry that God hadn’t answered her prayers, I told her I didn’t think she was giving God a fair chance. I followed up with a card in the mail with a devotion on patience. Several months later I learned she was pregnant and she confided that she conceived the same month she received my card. Drip.

While listening to a Christian radio station, I was asked “Is that a Christian station you’re listening to?” I had no idea the person was a Christian, but that question opened the door for conversation between us on our churches and beliefs. Drip!

While reading a devotional book during lunch a woman asked “What are you reading that’s so good?” What an opportunity to tell her! Drip.

When God does something wonderful in your life, share it! The reason I became a drip is because I was dripped on. A friend was bold enough to bring God up in conversation and dripped on me until I was so saturated I started dripping on others.

When you drip on others you drip on yourself. When your ears hear your lips talking about God, it reinforces your faith to you. Since I’ve been dripping on others my faith has never been stronger. My life is far from perfect, but I have the faith in God to know whatever happens, He is there to carry me through. And through my Baptism (drip, drip, drip) I am saved, and no longer have to pay the price of my sins.

A simple expression of faith, a quick note in the mail, the ability to mention God’s name in conversation is all it takes. And soon all the little drips will add up to a waterfall of salvation.


Chatty Kelly

Monday, May 10, 2010

Love Hurts

Love Hurts. Love scars, Love wounds Love mars.
Love Hurts, Nazareth, 1975.

Everyone has experienced a wound in love. It doesn't have to be romantic love either. There can be great pain in the relationship with parents, children,in-laws or friends. We have the expectation of what love means, and when our expectations are not met...Love hurts!

God is love. His love is perfect and never fails. How does this translate in this world we live in, where love hurts? It is incomprehensible that we can realize what this means...God is love. Jesus, however, realizes exactly what love hurts means.

The muscial group Nazareth sang "Love hurts, love scars, love wounds and mars." In Jesus case this is true. He loved us so much, he died on the cross, wounded and marred. After his resurrection, he showed his nail-scarred hands to his disciple, Thomas.

The Bible tells us the true definition of love. "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." (1 John 4:10)

Love doesn’t need to hurt. You only need to look to God to find true love.

Musical Musings:
1. What emotional wounds have you experienced in love?
2. What does it mean to you to know that Jesus experienced physical wounds because of his love for you?
3. Thank God for loving you so much that he sent his son to die for your sins.

Karaoke: Dear God, thank you for sending your son to die for me! You loved me with a perfect love that never hurts. Help me to be loving in my relationship with others, so I don’t hurt them. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Rock On: Read about true love in 1 John 3.

Love Hurts Video:


Chatty Kelly