Love is the Heart of my God

Well, only about a week now till I leave! It has been such a great week. Everything coming together and all the last moments with friends. It is a little sad in a way. Like the last episode of a TV series where all the people who were there throughout the season are all in the room looking at you with goodbyes in their eyes. Even the ones who maybe didn't even play a very significant role but they all make up the richness of my history here in Medford. It's funny how we always think there is something better we could be doing. I was talking to a couple of friends that work with kids and found myself longing to work with youth again. Not that I would trade what I am doing now for anything else and maybe it is just because I get distracted easily but for whatever reason, the grass looked greener over there for a moment. But my reality is a hugely blessed one that I cannot deny. I began to journal all the things everybody has done for me in helping me get prepared to leave and it was insanely long. In fact so long that I decided people might get bored reading about every little detail. But the thing that isn't boring about what God had done for me through his people, is undeniably lavishly blessed me. From new tires on my Jeep and trailer along with other safety features people have installed for me, to the small things that are important to me like new paint on the walls and cool rope lights to luminate the interior. I'm telling you, God has a heart of gold for his people.
I was reading through Hosea the past couple weeks and it was droning on and on about how the people were messing up and sacrificing to the Baals and ignoring God and He was angry with them talking about how their sin stank. So I knew there had to be a turning point like the people coming back to God and repenting and everything being all good in the end right? Well what surprised me was one of the most amazing chapters I have ever read in the entire Bible. The chapter itself wasn't the amazing thing though. I could think of probably five chapters I would rather read if I was just going to read one. It was the fact that this chapter was placed among all this sin and forsaking of God. What comes out is one of the most beautiful pictures of the heart of God for his people. Chapter 11 and it was titled in my Bible "God yearns for Israel". God is saying that He loves Israel even though they are not paying Him any attention and didn't even realize that God is the one who healed them. They are following other god's but God himself bent down to feed them. They are immoral people and not turning from their ways. They deserve all God's righteous anger because God is a holy God! But because He loves them so much he will withhold his fury and not pour judgement out on them. Oh what good news!
I think we seriously underestimate God's mercy and love for people. I want to share the true heart of God with the people that I meet on this mission. And yes even though God is mercy and love, He is also judgement and truth. Jesus required people to leave what they were doing to follow Him. Lives were transformed and people were healed yes, but they were called to "sin no more". I believe that God is going to speak to people weather currently saved or not and ask them to leave some things behind in order to follow Him. I was thinking about how much really everybody just wants to be loved. They search all over to find it. I have seen women sacrifice themselves and their children to be with a man who loves them. Yet why can't everybody see how much God loves them? How much God wants to make a big deal about them because He just thinks they are great? Well maybe they need to see somebody make a big deal about sharing that fact with them. So that's what I am doing folks. I want to make a big deal about the gospel because the reality is, it is a big deal! If I have to go through being a little uncomfortable in order to take that good news of great joy to some people, then so be it. I know the Lord is still teaching me some things before I go and I am so thankful, seriously to all of you who have given me so much support and encouragement along the way! Going to rescue people from the enemy does make me a huge target and I continue to ask for you prayer support. Thank you again and I pray God reveals more to you also about His heart for you today!