Geoff Moore has long been one of my favorite songwriters, and his most recent CD carries on his tradition of writing heartfelt songs about his walk with God. One of the tracks on the disc is called, “Overwhelming Love”, and it just floors me every time I listen to it. The heart of the chorus says, “Let us be ruined by Your overwhelming love”. For those of us aspiring to live lives wholly dedicated to Christ, this is the cry of our hearts. What would our lives look like if we were truly ruined by the love of God?
- Our desires would change. Material things would no longer capture our imagination because absolutely nothing could compare to the incredible peace that had flooded our souls. Keeping up with the neighbors would not even enter our minds. What could we possibly gain on this earth that could even come close to comparing with the love we had received from God? Everything we chased after would be pursued in the name of Jesus because we would recognize that true joy and life is found only in Him.
- Our relationships would change. There is little doubt we have become a “me-first” generation. For a long time we have been progressively moving to a model where we look to others only to see what we can gain from them. The divorce rate has skyrocketed, friends have become disposable, and children are seen as an inconvenience. Through the eyes of Jesus, however, everyone has infinite worth. Everyone has a unique role to play on this earth. When we allow God’s love to overwhelm us, we cannot help but let it overflow onto everyone around us. We begin to see others as He sees them, as people who need our compassion and care.
- Our priorities would change. Our first instinct would no longer be about ourselves, but rather we would focus on others first. If God’s love had so totally obliterated our need for acceptance from those around us, we would be free to look after their needs. No longer concerned with what others thought of us, our lives would be spent doing the gritty work of service for those in peril. We would act on the needs that came our way. Consumed by love, opportunities to serve would no longer be an inconvenience, but rather a majestic privilege.
Once we have felt the love of God, we can never be the same. Something inside us changes and causes us to drop everything else and seek more of that love. What if we had more than just a taste? What if we allowed His love to completely wreck us? What if we allowed it to ruin everything we had ever known? What if we let it so radically alter our lives that we could no longer help but serve Him with every ounce of our strength? When we allow the overwhelming love of God to ruin us, our desires, relationships, and priorities will be forever altered and aligned with His. We would truly be undone. And that is right where He wants us.
What holds you back from allowing God to ruin you with His overwhelming love? Please join the conversation below.