First Love

This past weekend, I went to Chinatown in Downtown Portland with a couple of friends.

It didn’t take us long to discover why no one we had talked to had ever been there before.

There wasn’t much to it, but shops, restaurants, and a Chinese garden you had to pay an arm and leg to see.

It was also located in one of downtown’s worst districts.

At the main entrance, the Union Gospel Mission was serving hot soup to those who lived in the homeless camp to the left of the archway.  Some man offered me a new hat.

But we also saw things I hope to forget:

A blatant lifestyle abominable in the sight of the Lord.

And a man so high on drugs, it was hard not to notice.

My first thought was: “Apart from Christ, this is the best life they will ever have!!”

My second thought was: “Why am I not a part of what they’re doing?”

Because. . .

• “By GRACE [we] have been saved through faith.” (Ephesians 2:5)
• “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his MERCY he saved us.” (Titus 3:5)
•  “While we were yet sinners, CHRIST DIED for us.” (Romans 5:8)

Why is our best life yet to come?

Why are we appalled at blatant sin?

Why don’t we want to join in?

Because GOD reached out His arm of salvation to you and to me and made us His own.

We love Him because He FIRST loved us. (1 John 4:19)