Amazing Love

Galatians 5:22
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. . .

Friday afternoon.

School gets out at 1:10.

At 1:30 some of the teachers take the middle school girls to Chitipi orphanage where we have prayer, a Bible lesson, a craft, and a game for the children.










This year we are focusing on the fruit of the Spirit.
Today we talked about love.
We love because he first loved us. (I John 4:19)
And He loved us in the greatest way possible:
Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends. (John 15:13)
. . . which is what Jesus did. . .but while we were enemies of God!
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person - though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die - but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. (Romans 5:6-10)Then God has demonstrated, by sending Jesus to die, wonderful, amazing, unfathomable love, which we are called to emulate:
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. (John 13:34-35) One of the many reasons I enjoy spending time at Chitipi: I'm always encouraged to see the love the orphans have for one another! It's such a great reminder of what a testimony to Christ our love for one another can be! Last week we were playing a game after craft. . . We were all standing in a circle. I was right next to little Zionee and her friend, one of the girls who suffers from AIDS. We were all having so much fun. They were giggling like little girls do. Then during the game, I noticed they had left the circle. I scanned around for them, and realized they were standing off to the side. Zionee was vigorously scratching her friend's hand. I couldn't make out what they were saying, because they were speaking in Chichewa. As I came closer, I realized little Zionee was worried because there was a splinter in the older girl's hand. She spent the next several minutes determined to get it out, and even sacrificed the game she was playing (and enjoying!) to help her friend. . . It was really sweet! I witness little acts of love like this all the time at Chitipi. . . and it melts my heart!
May we as God's people love each other because He loved us first.
And may others know that we are followers of Christ by our love!

Rejoice in Him, through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation! (Romans 5:11)
And praise and thank Him that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from His love in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)