The Broken Heart of God.

“For the Son of Man came to seek and save what was lost.” Luke 19:10

Hello everyone and happy August!! I think Summer has become one of my favorite seasons and I cannot believe it’s almost over, but I am excited about all the Lord has in store for this fall!

Last I wrote to you I shared about my time in Jordan, how the Lord has given me a heart for Muslims, and has recently given me practical application for preparing to return to the Middle East one day.

I know some of you are concerned for my safety, and maybe even my sanity at times as I talk about how much I love the Middle East and Muslims. You hear reports of very real devastation that is taking place in this region and how American Christians are sometimes received. Especially this week, with the tensions rising once again in the region, specifically between Israel and Lebanon. It should not be ignored that there are demonic forces behind the religion of Islam, that have led to destruction and death. But we must remind ourselves that Jesus calls them His inheritance. He desires that all would accept His invitation to the table and He deeply loves the lost. There is still no heart too hard for Him and there is no place too dark!

I am currently reading a 30 day prayer devotional created by Live Dead missionaries that has greatly impacted me and helped me engage in what God is doing in my heart for the unreached. Last week on Day 2 of the devo, I read a striking write up that I thought to paste here, as I feel it clearly communicates all that has been in my heart this month. In my last newsletter I wrote about the Lord of the harvest, today I reflect on the Father’s heart for the lost and the unreached and I pray that it is an encouragement to you:

‘Lost: Parable of the Father’s Heart’ by Eli Gautreaux

Several years ago, my family and I attended a conference on a university campus. One afternoon our 4 year old went missing from the student center where I had been working. As it became apparent that my little girl was lost, my heart sank, and with each passing moment I began to feel more and more nauseous. Words cannot describe the depth of anguish and despair I felt that day. With the help of university police, we frantically searched all four floors of that building, eventually spilling out into the parking lot and covering the four city blocks of the campus. She was completely lost.

In Luke 15, we read Jesus’ three parables about lost things– the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost sons. Contextual, however, the emphases lay not on the things lost, but rather on those to whom the lost things belonged– the shepherd, the woman, the father. The third parable is frequently called the Parable of the Prodigal Son– but as G. Campbell Morgan suggested, perhaps a better name would be the title he chose for his book, The Parable of the Father’s Heart, for in this story we see the broken heart of God revealed. This father was actively watching, waiting, and yearning to be reunited with his lost child. That is exactly the way God feels about every one of His children who are lost and separated from Him.

Morgan wrote in The Great Physician: “It is well now to remind ourselves that when we speak of a lost man or woman, the final emphasis in our thinking should not be on the lost person, but on the one who has lost that person. When we speak of a man being lost, do we think most about his suffering, or the suffering of God? When the devil has kidnapped a child of God, it is God who hurts the deepest, who suffers the most. His heart is broken as He can foresee the inevitable consequence of lost relationship– eternal separation. When I remember the way I felt about my one lost child, I cannot begin to imagine the Father’s exponential pain over the multitude of his lost children from every corner of the earth. When my daughter was lost , I wanted everyone everywhere to drop what they were doing, and help me find her. It was inconceivable to me that anyone, especially those I loved most, would be able to rest until she was safely found.

In 2 Samuel 23, we read about three of David’s mighty men who heard a sigh from their king’s lips– his simple longing for a drink of water from the well near the gate at Bethlehem. Risking their own lives, they crossed enemy lines in the dark of night and retrieved the drink of water for their king. It is clear that these three men were close enough to their king, in proximity but more importantly in relational intimacy, to hear the longing of his heart. They were never given a command. Their king’s longing became their immediate, voluntary, and dangerous mission.

After the longest hour of my life– in which every passing minute felt like an eternity– we found our daughter. The moment I saw her, I had an instant understanding of the joy in heaven that erupts when a lost person is reunited with the Father. I cried out with happiness and could not stop hugging her. The intensity of the darkness that had accompanied her loss was matched only by the elation I felt when I held her in my arms again.

Challenge:

Today as you pray, rather than pouring out your heart to God, ask Him to pour His heart to you. Our King is a wonderful and loving Father who suffers deeply at the loss of His children. If we love Him, we will listen. Eventually we will feel His broken heart. If we love Him we will, like the mighty men of old, make His longing our mission no matter what the risk. What is the cry of God’s heart? He is weeping over His lost children watching, waiting, and yearning for them to come home.

What Am I Doing?

Connecting with refugee ministries within Kansas City, the nations are in our backyard!
Fully jumping into preparing to receive our students for September DTS
Praying about returning to the Middle East this Spring, after DTS for a visit
Prioritizing raising support so that I can complete the next assignments the Lord has for me well!

Prayer Requests:

More long-term missionaries to be sent to the Middle East
Open doors to sharing the gospel with unreached people groups right here in KC
Pray for our September discipleship training school- the school leaders, staff, students! Wisdom in upcoming decisions and Jesus’ vision for this school!
I am getting a dental procedure done this Monday, and praying it decreases pain in my head and jaw

Giving:

I am jumping into DTS trusting that God is going to come through and meet every need! I have yet to reach my support goal for my monthly needs, my rent has gone up an additional $100, and with DTS, I will have a hefty sum to raise for outreach as well. If you are looking for a missionary to support, or know anyone that is searching, I would be so honored if you would pray and consider partnering with me in taking the gospel where it has yet to be heard!

Thank you so much to all of you that are praying for me, supporting me financially, and those who have even sent me letters and text messages of encouragement. You truly mean the world to me and I would not get to do what I do without you.

Also, if you are aware of any remote jobs that I can do in what free time I may have, please send them my way!

My budget has changed this season! (and will change once again in March once DTS is finished)

Monthly Support Goal: $2,070.34

DTS 1 time need: $5,000.00

This means that I am in need of $713.64 more for monthly support to do what the Lord has entrusted me with, well! If you cannot commit to give monthly, would prayerfully consider contributing to this $5,000 needed that will go toward dts outreach.

If you would like to see a more thorough breakdown of budgeting, message me!

Tax Deductible ways to donate:

YWAM: https://giving.ywamkansascity.com/support/jessica-lawrence

**** my code: V_L325

Please create an account before donating so that you can have your giving records on file for taxes.

Non tax-deductible ways to donate:

Venmo: @Jessica-Lawrence23

Cashapp: $jessrmarie

*** Please message me regarding questions about checks***

Thank you!!

Sincerely,

Jessica Lawrence