Hi everyone! It’s Tania, and welcome to the Moms for Christ podcast. The Word I have today comes from the book of John, chapter 15, verse 13, and it says: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

"...willing to give everything in your life so that the Lord would be made known..."

This Word is speaking of God’s love for us— that He sent His Son, Jesus, to give His life. His friends are the ones who do what He commands. To obey is to show your love for God. “To lay down one’s life for one’s friends”— what does that mean? It means to be willing to give everything in your life so that the Lord would be made known, letting go of your wants and desires for the greater cause: the Kingdom. Your life becomes nothing and God’s Kingdom becomes everything.

I’m reminded of a few years ago. My kids were eating lunch, and my two oldest kids were fighting over the shape of the chicken nuggets. They all wanted their own shape. After a few minutes of going back and forth, my youngest decided to give her siblings her shaped nuggets. She gave a shape to each of them to stop their arguing. She was willing to give what she had because she could not bear to see her brother and sister arguing over something so silly.

"It’s all about God’s Kingdom."

I have to stop and ask, “Have I been willing to lay down my life because I can see the Kingdom is at hand?” And it’s so much greater than me and my thoughts, and my wants and desires! I think of our pastors and their family, how they have made themselves available to our family and so many others, time and time again. Today, as I sit looking at my kitchen table and the many times their life was given for ours at that very table. It’s all about God’s Kingdom.

And Lord, thank you. Thank you for your Spirit. Thank you for your love. Lord, we pray that in view of your mercy, we would be willing to lay down our life for your Kingdom, that you would be made known. Lord, we pray that you would fill our children with a love for you, that even while they are young they would be willing to lay their lives down for the Kingdom of God. Lord, we ask for more of your Spirit, that just as you have given it all for us, we would give it all to you.

"...Lord, we want to do the work that you have called us to."

Lord, we thank you. Thank you so very much, Lord, for the call that you have placed in our lives. And Lord, we pray that our children would see that demonstration in each and every one of us, and then just as we follow you, they would follow us. Lord, we pray for more of your Spirit because it’s your Spirit that leads us to do the work for the Kingdom, and Lord, we want to do the work that you have called us to. So, would you fill us, this day. Would we be seeking you— to know you, to be closer to you, and to be filled with you more and more.

Lord, thank you. Thank you for the call, and Lord, please do not let it pass us by, but Lord, I pray that we would grab ahold of it. Lord, I pray that just as Ryann was willing to give her chicken nuggets for the greater picture, we would see the greatest picture: your Kingdom. Amen.

God bless, and have a wonderful day! I will speak to you soon.