Caught - and glad of it

Today I watched my father stand before the students, staff and alumni of Falcon Children's Home to receive recognition for his and mom's 15 years of service there. He made a few remarks but ultimately what he finally said was:

 "Oh, the love of God!  Oh, the Love of God!"

And, if he had not said anything else, it would have been enough. Tears ran down his cheeks and I know where they came from because love like that.... Well, it does that to you sometimes. You don't spend 15 years doing what he and Mom did because you think you can be useful or because you are committed to a principle. You do it because love compels you to do it and love will not let you go. 

It made me think of the Rich Mullins song.... especially the second verse which my parents lived before me. I know they were not perfect. They may not have always made the best choices or handled everything just right but their hearts were in it for the good and so was their sweat their joy and their tears.

On my best days, I like to think that I am determined enough to follow in their footsteps. So far I have learned that I may be misunderstood A LOT. I may see little or no return for my labor - EVER. I may receive no appreciation for my effort and I may not get very much assurance that what I am doing even matters or is helping anyone. It is hard to stand with open arms especially during those times when those arms may needlessly be empty... but that has to be okay and it will be okay because love keeps no record of wrongs, does it? It is not self-seeking or jealous and it is not easily angered.

Long suffering is what it is.  It never gives up.

Kind is what it is.

Patient is what it is.

Love.

 - and that is something hard to come by - 

                                                                                        even harder to execute. 

But, with God all things are possible and I want to live in that possibility.

I really do.

I have been caught in the love of God and I am a selfish fool if I do not do all I can to try to pull everyone who is in my reach into that love because until you are in it, these are just words but once you are found in that love, there is nothing else. Nothing.

There's a wideness in God's mercy 
I cannot find in my own 
And He keeps His fire burning 
To melt this heart of stone 
Keeps me aching with a yearning 
Keeps me glad to have been caught 
In the reckless raging fury 
That they call the love of God 

Now I've seen no band of angels 
But I've heard the soldiers' songs 
Love hangs over them like a banner 
Love within them leads them on 
To the battle on the journey 
And it's never gonna stop 
Ever widening their mercies 
And the fury of His love 

Oh the love of God 
And oh, the love of God 
The love of God 

Joy and sorrow are this ocean 
And in their every ebb and flow 
Now the Lord a door has opened 
That all Hell could never close 
Here I'm tested and made worthy 
Tossed about but lifted up 
In the reckless raging fury 
That they call the love of God