Value of the Cross

A few days back I made a trip to the bank with a friend to exchange some of my American dollars to Peruvian soles. I used to enjoy this. I used to like watching my money triple right before my very eyes. However, anymore, it's a depressing adventure. You see, my first trip to Peru in 2007, one dollar earned me nearly three soles (2.98 I believe). That means for every $100 I would turn in, I'd get 298 soles back. In 2009, I remember turning in my dollars from school and receiving an exchange rate of 2.94 or something close to that. However, fast forward to present day, and my same $100 earns me a mere 273 soles. It's slightly depressing.

As numbers and figures floated around in my head, my mind shifted to Christ and His unchanging, unfailing love. I must admit that recently, while I've been in church quite a bit and I have been involved in ministry in various forms, my personal devotions are lacking. Of course I do them, but I've been selfish with my time and I've been selfish with my prayers. I'm not giving God all of me during my time of devotions. I'm giving Him only the parts I want to give Him, and I'm trying to control everything else. 

Last evening at church we had communion and an amazing time of alabanzas (singing and worship). As we sang the song Hosanna by Hillsong United, it was all I could do to hold my tears back as the room roared with people in love with the Lord, worshiping Him with their entire being. As we sang:

Heal my heart and make it clean 
Open up my eyes to the things unseen 
Show me how to love like You have loved me 
Break my heart for what breaks Yours 
Everything I am for Your Kingdom's cause 
As I walk from earth into eternity 

I was broken. It's a strong prayer, and it's a prayer I spoke with everything in me last evening. My heart needs to be cleaned. I have been living selfishly rather than for His Kingdom. I spent some time in prayer, and I could literally feel the embrace of the Lord surround me, and I felt the heaviness lifted from my shoulders. I was light as a feather in the arms of my Savior, and I felt great. At that moment, there was no where else I'd rather be than right there loving on Jesus Christ. It amazes me that even when I neglect Him or only half trust Him, He still loves me the same. I breaks my heart that too often I don't give Him all of me, because when I do, life is so much better!

Unlike the value of the dollar, Christ's love never changes. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8).