Extravagant Love

I got a text this morning that says, “Jake asked me to pray last night that he would love Jesus in his heart more than he does Legos.” 

The chuckle in my tightened as tears formed in my eyes. And the words of Jesus in John 21 echoed, 

15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. 18 Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”

And Jakes words collided with these verses. Jake would eat, sleep and drink Legos. He knows them, understands them, desires them, saves for them, asks for them. When he is with his Legos ... is attention is fully devoted to them. For some people it’s sports, for others movies, for some intellect ... we all have our own “LEGO” that we love. But this morning, the words in verse 18 struck me ... and I thought, “I bet Jake has a Lego shirt! And maybe a hat??” And the mama in argued, he’s a kid ... let him be a kid. The verse I think that what Jesus is saying is ... you can make what seem to be your own decisions now, as a young person, but because of the decisions you make today, later on, someone will decide for you ... and you ain’t gonna like it. And then Jesus commands Peter, “Follow me.” 

In Jake’s little-boy-who-loves-Jesus heart, his prayer request spoke such depth. Let me love Jesus in my heart more than most treasured possession. 

So I would ask us today ... Who or what is your Lego? 

Will you trade it in for a greater love of Jesus?