“The love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Rom. 5:5).
Here is a promise of an abundance of agape love, the God-like love which gives expecting nothing in return. This promise has to do with loving the unlovely, those who cannot, or will not, return that love.
This verse means a great deal to missionaries who give up creature comforts and personal ease among their own people in order to take the Gospel message to a foreign people far away who many times neither desire nor appreciate such personal sacrifice on their behalf.
“Yankee, go home!” is not just a political slogan. Often it is the “buzz word” American missionaries of all denominations of churches hear from hostile nationals who misunderstand and resent their “intrusion” into their everyday lives.
What would prompt a person to leave familiar and pleasant surroundings and go hundreds, even thousands, of miles away to invest his life in a strange, uncomfortable and often dangerous environment? Especially when that sacrifice seems to be neither recognized nor rewarded?
Those missionaries I talk to share how the agape love of God so overwhelmed them that they had no other choice but to respond to the call to the mission field. That love so motivated them that they would only complain if they did not get to go.
God’s love is the greatest power in the universe. Once people see and recognize the reality of that love demonstrated before them, their response changes from “Yankee, go home!” to “Friend, please stay and tell us more about the Jesus!”
That makes it all worthwhile!
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers
Dick Mills was ordained at The International Church of the Foursquare Gospel in 1949. He and his wife Betty traveled as evangelists all over the United States, Canada, Mexico, Latin America, Europe, and Australia. Dick and Betty are now home in heaven.
In 1966 Dick and Betty became a part of the then-emerging Charismatic Renewal. Passing through all denominational barriers, Dick has had the opportunity to speak in thousands of churches of varied backgrounds all over the world.
He ministered within several Christian organizations, including the Full Gospel Business Men, Women's Aglow, Inter-church Renewal Catholic Pentecostals, mainline Charismatic groups, CBN and TBN television networks, and many other independent Christian TV stations.
Dick appeared on numerous radio talk shows, written several magazine articles, and spoke at many Bible conferences and universities. He served as an adjunct professor at six Schools of the Bible and Seminaries.
In addition, Dick authored and co-authored several books and tapes. Dick's ministry was characterized by the unique gifts God has blessed him with. His services informed, enlightened, and motivated people to a higher level of commitment to God.