The love of Christ is rich and free

I have a rule for living here in Sevilla: don’t go out looking for anything specific. You won’t find what you’re looking for and be disappointed. Instead go out with an open mind and find what you find. Often it will be better than what you wanted in the first place! This rule proved true even in today’s church-finding adventure! I’ve been in contact with some missionaries here in Sevilla and today we went to attend church with them.

9:45 am-- Michelle and I leave our apartment
10:40 am-- Two buses and lots of walking later, we arrive at Plaza de Armas bus station and meet our friend Heather
11:00 am-- Our bus leaves from the station headed for Bormujos, a “suburb” a little ways outside of Sevilla
11:15 am--We get off the bus and start following the directions to the church that we were given
12:15 pm-- Still wandering around, calling the missionaries’ intern Darby repeatedly for help. Unfortunately we are so far away from where we need to be that she has no idea how to find us or give us directions!
12:45 pm-- Darby and Chanelle (one of the missionary wives) finally rescue us—we climb into their big red van.

I was in charge of navigating for this excursion and so I was completely frustrated and upset by now. Chanelle informed us that church had been over for a long time. Great. “We’ve come so far and tried so hard, and we MISSED IT!” But she kept driving. She invited us to eat lunch at their house. I wonder if my emphatic “Yes!” was too obvious—we were tired and hungry.

We walked into their home, a “modern” house with glass doors and tons of space. (At least by Spanish standards!) We talked to Darby and drank sweet tea while Chanelle whipped up some Thai food. Meanwhile the kids got back from Sunday school. David and Chanelle Acton have 4 kids—3 girls and a boy. The 2 Blacksten kids (a boy and a girl) were also with them; their parents Sean and Shelley were in Germany for a conference. There’s something about missionary kids—unbelieveable. These 2 families have worked together for years in Germany and now in Spain, making them incredibly close. The kids range in age from 8 to 14. They welcomed us into their “domain” and entertained our curiosity with patience—“So what was your house in Germany like?” “Was it hard to go to school here before you knew Spanish?” and such questions.

I think the most striking feature of these families is how they treat 11-year-old Christopher (the Actons’ boy), who has cerebral palsy. All of the kids included “Chrissie” when they could, always being considerate. Chanelle’s patience was incredible-- constantly cleaning up after him and getting him what he wanted, but never loving him less. “Chrissie, I love you. Please don’t yell at Mommy.” What a clear display of the unconditional love of Christ.

These new friends showed us the love of Christ so many ways in just a few hours. On the bus ride home we talked about how the day had gone so differently than planned, yet we couldn’t have planned it to be that great if we’d tried! (Michelle even noted that if we hadn't been so hopelessly lost, we might not have gotten that great lunch!) The Lord works in mysterious ways indeed.

The Love of Christ is rich and free
Fixed on His own eternally
Nor earth nor hell can it remove,
Long as He lives His own He’ll love

His loving heart engaged to be
Their everlasting surety
Twas Love that took their cause in hand
And love maintains it to the end

Love cannot from its post withdraw,
Nor death nor hell nor sin nor law
Can turn the Surety’s heart away
He’ll love His own to endless day

Love has redeemed His sheep with blood
And Love will bring them safe to God
Love calls them all from death to life
And Love will finish all their strife

He loves through every changing scene
Nor aught from Him can Zion wean
Not all the wanderings of her heart
Can make His love for her depart

At death beyond the grave He’ll love
In endless bliss His own shall prove
The blazing glory of that love
Which never could from them remove
Which never could from them remove