Something about holding a bundle of bones will awaken your heart. People ask, “How do you do it? My heart couldn’t handle seeing the suffering or the pain, especially in children.”

Here is the answer, I don’t do it. I can’t do it. The Holy Spirit steps in and carries you through those moments. He holds you together while you hold the child.

As I read these words on this powerful picture I was tempted to just post the picture. But then I really thought about these words….”You hate your life, while some people dream of having your life”, yes this statement is true I felt the Lord ask me the real question,”What about your life do they want?”

Do they want my life, truly? Do they want my friendships? Do they want my job? Do they want my social status? Do they want the 10,000 options I have every time I walk into a store to buy food? Do they want my luxuries? Or do they want the Jesus that they see in me?

I remember walking into a village and a sweet mother walked up holding what looked like a baby, she placed this boy in my arms and I was holding bones. The child had a distinctive smell and I could feel the bones of his body pressing into my skin. He was seven years old and could not crawl or walk. He was dying of starvation. The mom looked at me with the look that I had seen so many times…”I want my son to have your life, please help him”. The Holy Spirit stepped in and held me as I held him. You have to ask the Lord to remove you and your limitations otherwise you can’t hold them and touch them. He removes your senses so you can touch and love them like He would.

We were able to give this child food to sustain him but one message always came to my mind as I went from village to village to take food….all things fade away, but He remains. If I gave this little boy food, water, and all the luxuries that I have access to if I didn’t offer Jesus, I didn’t offer him life. All we need is Him.

Even at home we are always looking and comparing our lives to others. We want what others have. If we are honest we at times display our lives for the intent only for others to want what we have…it’s the reason we are not a genuine people. We put on masks so that other will want our lives because if they saw behind the mask they would change their mind.

I was convicted looking at this picture this morning for so many reasons. I am not nearly thankful enough for the life that God has given me and His grace upon my life. But most importantly, when people dream about having my life I want them to dream about having Jesus. I work so hard for them to want everything else, even though I would never admit it. I was convicted. Do I work hard for the glory of God or do I work hard so people will admire my success? Do I drive my car because I am thankful I have something to get me from point A to B, or do I drive a car that I want to get noticed? Do I take care of myself (body, clothing, hair) to represent His temple or is it to impress people?  They only need to see Him in me. Everything else is fleeting. Everything.

If I give those searching the world and don’t give them Jesus then I should have given them nothing. Only He can provide the food, only He can provide the healing, only He can provide the shelter and ONLY HE CAN PROVIDE LIFE. Life abundantly.

 When we are dying after we have filled ourselves with everything this world has to offer, including food, He holds us and sustains us.

That is the life this hand in the picture should be dreaming about having.