How much do I really care?

Last week on Tuesday night we held a Prayer/Praise service at church. It was a powerful night filled withe presence of the Holy Spirit. We prayed about several things. We lifted up our church, community, nation, and world. However in each case the subject matter was similar. We prayed for God's presence and opportunity in each of those places. What would it look like if we prayed for God's opportunity in our friends, family, and community? ...A prayer that asks God to soften hearts, open souls, and prepare people to be receptive to the love of Christ. I started thinking about that in my own life and evaluating it for our church body. Then Rick Warren in my devotional today hit me between the eyes.

Before we ever have this kind of prayer life we have to ask our selves this. Do I really care? Do I really care about others lives and where they will spend eternity. Or am I mostly consumed with myself, my family, my issues, my work, my struggles. Love is the key that unlocks these kinds of prayers. Do I really love others, does my heart long to see people make decisions for Jesus? Each of us needs to examine our own hearts and seek God's forgiveness bu then very quickly start praying for and loving on others. God will create a "burden" in your heart for others if you let Him. that just means that you begin to care for others and the direction their life is taking. God will use you but you have to decide to love...you have to decide to care...you have to decide to ask God to "Use you".

It all really boils down to love. Do we have love that goes beyond feelings and good intentions for others. Or do we have real authentic love that we are giving people a part of ourselves. Are we interested in pouring our lives out, sacrificing our lives so that others might live? That is after all what Jesus did for us. If we ask God to change people's life and we make ourselves available to be His agents of change than God will move and do a new thing. What does your prayer life look like? Do you really care? If so what are you willing to do about it? These are questions I am wrestling with and I challenge you to do the same. In community with you, Your Dreaming Pastor