This is a continuation of the last post...
We were talking about how amazing it is that God loves us all the same - the prodigal son and his brother. Those who work hard in ministries and those who don't.
In Rick Joyner's book "The Call" he talks about a series of dreams and visions he had in which he was taken up to heaven. When he got there, he was shocked to see many famous evangelists and preachers in the back of the room. He asked them why they didn't end up closer to God's throne, and they all said it was because they had pride or haughtiness at some point in their ministries.
Then he walked to the Throne, and seated on a throne close to God was a man that Rick recognized as a homeless man he had seen on earth. He asked God why this homeless man got to sit next to God, and God told him it was because the homeless man found a Bible, read it and treasured it, and made the cardboard box he lived in a temple of worship in which God was welcome to reside. The homeless man died one day in freezing temperatures while trying to keep another homeless man warm. He gave his life for another.
This really blew my mind. The homeless man didn't travel around the world or walk the streets preaching the gospel. No one was saved because of him. This hits home with me because I used to walk the streets evangelizing. I had Bible study groups in my home, I traveled to many conferences to get more of God. And now...I'm doing....nothing. I find myself in the desert, and I'm not sure why. And yet God loves me today every bit as much as He loved me before. (Go HERE to read part 1 of this discussion, and HERE to read part 2.)
He wanted me and you to know that His love isn't affected by our works. Our righteousness is as filthy rags. He isn't asking us to be board members at our church, or be busy in a ministry. All He's asking is that we love Him. I'm not saying we shouldn't serve God in a ministry, just that we shouldn't do these things thinking He will love us more. Everything we do should be out of mercy, and not sacrifice. He can't possibly love us any more than He already does.
Hope to see you at the front of the line someday...
picture from photobucket
