Crazy Love by Francis Chan

“Overwhelmed by a relentless God.”

Have you ever felt the overwhelming pursuit of God’s love in your life? And has the awareness of God’s love and His presence changed you in any way? Has it compelled you to not only love Him in return with a fierce passion but to also love others well, with the same love that God has lavished on you? Do you live differently because of His love? Are your priorities ones that would bring the Kingdom of Heaven down to this earth? This line does well in summing it up: “Because when you’re wildly in love with someone, it changes everything.”

One of the many things I appreciated about Crazy Love is that even after the third time I had read it cover to cover, God continued to speak new convictions to my heart. Yes, I love to read, and rarely do I re-read a book, but this one seemed to shout at me from my bookshelf. I love how Francis writes with such an urgency to open our eyes to the truth. We need a good spiritual kick in the pants now and then. I didn’t always feel good after reading it, but I felt spurred on toward love and good deeds. My conviction grew with each chapter as God began to show me the ways that my faith failed to line up with His Word. The sad reality is that western Christianity looks far different than that of the New Testament church. Our desire to pursue the American Dream has nothing to do with the heart of God. As I continue to consider what this would really look like lived out in my life, I will share these thoughts with you. The following are my lessons learned, the treasures that I took away from Crazy Love. I pray that your faith will be challenged and abound as you read.

1. Do I live my life in awe of an Awesome God? Does my life reflect the Awesome God that I follow?

2. Is my life characterized by an eternal perspective? Do I understand that my primary purpose is to bring God glory? Do I love people by pointing them towards Jesus?

3. Is my identity defined by who God says I am? Because God reveals His character to me through His Word, I can embrace who I am in Christ by allowing God’s crazy love for me to redefine my identity.

4. Are there evidences of a genuine faith in my life? Has my faith changed me from who I was before I knew the Lord? Am I becoming increasingly more like Jesus Christ?

5. Am I aware of any seeds of unbelief in my life that would cause me to give anything less than my best to a Holy God? Do I refuse to put off applying God’s Word in my life until a later time when it’s more convenient for me?

6. Am I in constant pursuit of God, desiring to know Him more? Is God my treasure? Do I value Him above all else?

7. Do I understand that following Jesus Christ is a high calling, and do I take that seriously? Because of my nature, I’m prone to wander from God, and this prevents me from fulfilling my calling.

8. Could I be profiled as obsessed with Jesus Christ? Am I wholly surrendered to Him no matter the cost?

9. When I die, what will people remember most about me? Will I have left a legacy of faith? Or am I missing the blessing of God using my life for His glory?

10. Obedience is key! God requires my obedience in all matters pertaining to His Word. Anything less is sin.