There is a cost for love. God so loved the world that it cost him his one and only Son (John 3:16). When you profess love you will be able to point to a sacrifice you have made for the sake of that love. That is what love does.
Last weekend we celebrated Mother’s Day. How great is a mother’s love for her child! But as we think about it – as much as any mom ever loved her child – God’s love for you is even greater. How amazing is that?
When a woman becomes a mom, she takes on a purpose greater than herself. The things that once mattered to her no longer matter. Her joy is found in her children and not in herself.
Jesus says, “remain in my love . . . I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” (John 15:9-11) He is telling us that if we want to experience true joy it is found in living for a purpose that is greater than ourselves. So many people live to make themselves happy. They make their personal enjoyment to be their ambition. But Jesus points out that he who would gain his life would loose it.
I want to inivte you to consider what you are living for. Are you living for yourself or are you living for purpose greater than yourself? As believers we have been called to follow Jesus. Our greater purpose is God’s purpose. It is God’s mission in this world to bring healing and hope to those who live in darkness. There is a cost to living with a purpose greater than yourself. But when we see the blessings that are given because the cost we pay, we experience the full and complete joy God desires for us.
Tomorrow night the Men of Lord of Life will be gathering. We are gathering for a tailgate party in the parking lot, but we are gathering for more than that. We are gathering to be revitalized, to reconnect with Jesus and each other, and to recommit our lives in service to him. Several of the men will be sharing their testimonies about how God moved them to live for more than themselves and how they are now experiencing the fruit of that change in their lives. So if you are a man, I would like to invite you to come and to join us and be encouraged.


Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:10 (NIV84)