Love with Abandon

“We aren’t really called to save the world, not even to save one person; Jesus does that. We are just called to love with abandon.”

~Katie Davis in “Kisses from Katie”

I just got done reading the above book, “Kisses from Katie.” I highly recommend it to everyone, especially those who have a heart for the orphans and the fatherless. A hard book to read. Had me laughing as well as in tears many times. Talk about loving with your whole heart and not holding back. How do we truly love with abandon? How do we love without expecting anything in return? That is something that I am learning to do. To love as Jesus calls me to love. And not to expect anything.

I will be the first to admit that I am not very good at loving sometimes. And usually those who are the hardest to love are the ones who are the closest to me. God has given me so many opportunities to love others. But unfortunately my own wants and need for love in return get in the way and I way to often mess up the opportunities God has given me. I believe that if we really love as Jesus wants us to, then His love for us would be enough. Because He loves us so much. I often think about how many times Jesus would love people when He was on this earth and those who would reject Him. I mean, He was nailed to a cross. Talk about rejection. But He loved anyways. He IS love. He gives us the ultimate example of sacrificial love and loving with abandonment. Giving up His wants and desires for others. And how today all He wants to do is love us and I think about the times that I have pushed Him away in my life. When I have felt too angry or  hurt that I don’t let Him carry my pain and love on me. I have rejected His love countless times.

As I prepare to go on this journey in the next few months, I want to love with abandon. To be able to pour out my heart and my love on these children and love them just as Jesus loves me. To not expect anything in return and to specifically love WITHOUT that expectation. I pray that the love of Christ will shine through me in the way I love these kids and the people around me. That God will continue teaching me about love and about His love for me. He has shown me that countless times over the last year.

I regret to say that He has given me opportunities to truly love people whole heartedly and I’ve made a mess of it. But God is a God that forgives us and helps us to not regret our mistakes, but to learn from them. I just pray that I will learn to love more and more how Christ loves us. To love with abandonment.

“The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me; your love, O Lord, endures forever – do not abandon the works of your hands.”

~Psalm 138:8

Anneli