Who Loves You?

Having been a mother of young children and recently a nursery worker at church, loving memories of holding precious babies continue to surface as beautiful pictures of God’s love for His children. I couldn’t help but recall such love as I read Isaiah 30:15, “This is what the Sovereign Lord the Holy One of Israel says: In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.”

I recalled the small baby that is crying and distressed over the unfamiliar surroundings; the different noises, the unfamiliar voices, the different sights. The baby is not happy. Continued cries offer the child no comfort and the familiarity is lost.

The nursery worker lovingly reaches down, picks up the precious child, and firmly yet gently holds the tear filled child. She holds the child confidently, offering a quiet strength of love and comfort. As the child squirms and struggles against the unfamiliar arms and voice he slowly begins to recognize the confident strength of the one who holds him. Slowly all crying and squirming settles into a quiet rest and trust that this worker is there for his love and comfort. Her job is to satisfy the child’s basic needs in a loving and nurturing environment.

O that we as believers would learn to repent of our self reliant ways and rest in the loving arms of our Savior. O that we would come to the Comforter and find a quiet uncomplaining trust in the Lord God Almighty. O believer, fight no more against the hand that longs to hold you. Run no more from the one who longs for you to trust in Him. Are you coming to the Father? Are you trusting the written words of comfort, strength, peace, and joy?

O believer, “the Lord longs to be gracious to you.” (18) He longs to rise from the throne of glory and envelope you in His compassion. Will you quietly rest in His loving arms?

Doubts

I sit here with less than 24 hours until I teach the eighth grade girls at Sunday school tomorrow. I have no fear, but I do have my doubts. Doubts of whether I will be understood, doubts whether my skills and Bible knowledge is enough, doubts about being prepared. What a wonderful mind game Satan can play.

Fortunately for me I am confident in my calling. I know this was not a position I sought. I know that God has grown a love in me for His children that was never there before. I know He grew the understanding of His word. But this confidence does not prevent these attacks; instead they provide the defense I need to withstand the attack. And God is ever faithful, always there; He is the strong tower, He is the mighty fortress filled to the rim with words of wisdom, reminders, and encouragement.

This morning He led me to Philippians, where Paul was in prison and chains for having shared the gospel of Christ with others. He writes;

“It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter?” (1:15-18)

Having prayed through these doubts and read these wonderful words of encouragement, I am strengthen and renewed in my calling. I am once again filled with love; love that He poured into me, love that came from Calvary. Nothing is more powerful than knowing that this message and these words are not mine. That God himself prepared them and He alone has a purpose and intent for each one. In confidence and love I look forward to tomorrows teaching on Esther.

Romance

The cry of the heart is, I want to be good. I want to read my Bible, study, and pray. I want to be patient, kind, thoughtful, loving, and slow to anger. But these are not natural for me. Why do I struggle so? Didn’t God promise the presence of the Holy Spirit, His power, strength, and comfort to those who believe on Him? I really want to do these things for God, but I don’t seem to be able to follow through with any commitment. Why not? Why can’t I do what I know I should do?

Many of us are doing what we heard preached from the pulpit, taught in Sunday school, or evidenced by other believers. We are going through the motions, because leaders have said this is the life a believer should live. We are taught about a loving, sacrificial, eternal, God and King. But we cannot seem to do what He simply asks of us.

I have been taught math, but I don’t do math problems everyday. Had a teacher told me that was the purpose for learning it I would have laughed at her and told her she was crazy. I do math, because I love the challenge of discovering the answer, and because math just seems logical.

Unfortunately many listen and believe what others say about God, never discovering for themselves God’s character, His undying, selfless love for His creation. Never knowing the pain and sorrow the generations before caused. Never reading the love stories of old. Never reading with wonder and amazement at what it took for God to create the oceans, the mountains, the valleys, the Grand Canyon, the beautifully painted sunrises, all creatures great and small. Never knowing the anguish at the first shed of blood. Never knowing His anger. Never know His tears. Never knowing His joy.

Never knowing how God was jilted by His own people, how they turned their backs on the one who gave them everything they needed, He fought their battles, sent rain on their crops, and birthed an entire generation. He divided seas and calmed oceans. He healed the sick, raised the dead, cried with sorrow at the harassment of His creation. He loved us first.

I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard; My loved one had a vineyard on a fertile hillside. He dug it up and cleared it of stones and planted it with the choices vines. He built a watchtower in it and cut out a winepress as well. (Isaiah 5:1-2a)

The lover’s heart was so full of joy for his beloved that He did everything of necessity to care for and protect his beloved vineyard from pests, pestilence, and un-welcomed guests who wished to devour such beauty. God’s love gave us all we need. His hand of providing, protection, and blessing covers those who believe. Dive deep into His written words. Discover a God that none can describe. Discover an ember of love that will burn into a blazing fire. Discover a love so strong that not even death could contain it. Sit in the warm glow of the written words, wrap your heart, mind, and soul around every word. Search with longing at all God is, and was, and is to be.

Then fall on your knees and worship Him. Take this new discovery of love and look anew at His request that you come to Him, read His word, study, and pray. Discover a loving resolve that awakens you in the morning with anticipation and excitement. A resolve that keeps you awake at night, reads through a pounding headache, concerns of unfinished work, or unpaid bills. Read, study, and pray, and watch an “unseen God” come to life inside of you. Read….and find a Love like no other.

Tears

In search of the majestic throne of the Creator and living God, I wandered into the book of wonders, Revelation. As I read of all the glorious and strange creators I was amazed at the beauty the earth has been blessed and blanketed with, and I must admit, confused at all the hybrid looking creatures described within this book. Yet as I searched for the words that describe God and His kingdom glory, my eyes walked the path of man’s torment here on earth: a path of seeing wonders of wonders; a path of living in shear terror; a path of knowing not from whence mine help cometh.

Here at my computer, my heart broke; opened and spilled out at all that belongs to God that will be destroyed. As if I were the mother who birthed this creation and was now required to watch my children being trampled and destroyed; watching as they live in agony and terror at the destruction of their home and physical body. The sorrow came from a place within that has never been opened this wide before. My heart broke at those “that knew God, but neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.” (Rom 1:21)

How can I share in the glory of God’s kingdom while others are trampled and destroyed below? How can I walk past my co-worker knowing that they maybe one blinded by the world’s deceits, lost in the pleasure of selfishness, lost in the temporary joy of man’s created pills and drugs of happiness and bliss. How can I look and not mention Your glory to another? How can I lay my head on my pillow at night, knowing that another opportunity to share the “good news of the gospel of peace” was lost?

“The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness.” (Rom 1:18) O believer, wake up! We are just as undeserving of God’s glorious treasure as those blinded by the world’s advertised pleasure. It is only by God’s endless loving kindness that we know of God’s eternal joy and salvation. And that someone cared enough to share the wisdom and knowledge of God with us. Beloved, as heir to the throne, God’s adopted children, hesitate not to walk amongst the poor, the sick, the drug addict, the abandoned, the confused, the angry, and the lost. Hesitate not to open your lips and sing praises to the King. Hesitate not to give a reason for the hope that is in you. Hesitate not, and say, “I will go where You will send me.”

A Glimpse of Heaven

I stand amazed and in wonder at the beauty beyond words - The King of Kings upon the throne, the angels of heaven in all their splendor singing and praising the great I AM, the saints of old in all perfection, the streets of gold, the mansions of glory, and the river of life which flows through the gates of glory. What a sight to behold. What a place of splendor and majesty. And who am I that I should be called the daughter of the King? Who am I that I deserve to be ransomed to glory? Who am I that You are mindful of me? Who am I that You love me? Who am I that You died upon the tree at Calvary? Who am I that I should stand in the presence of Your glory?

Ever mindful of the eternal hope that is within me, I can’t help but realize that though I stand amazed others will wiggle and scream in torment and pain, crying for the living water to quench their thirst and free them from the place of eternal judgment. Others who knew not the truth, others who rejected the truth, others who thought there was no end, others who thought I have no sin, others who lived for themselves and said there is no God.

In humbled silence and wonder of heart, a fragrant aroma of the Heavenly Father is near. He bids, “Will you go? Will you tell? Will you share? Will you love? For I long, I desire, that all men will know Me. Will you be the one?

Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrated his own love for us in this; While we were still sinners Christ died for us. (Rom 5:7-9)

Dry Bones

Ezekiel 37:9 Thus saith the Lord, O breath, breathe life upon these slain, that they may live.

A husband stands in the kitchen, gun in hand and no reason to live. He has come home to find his wife and kids are gone and divorce papers stare at him from the kitchen counter. She has left him for another.

A daughter lays in the emergency room as doctors and nurses try desperately to save her life. She has been missing for months. At the age of sixteen she thought sex, drugs, and life on her own was the road to happiness.

A corporate woman attends a board meeting and learns she no longer has a job. She has spent her entire career climbing the corporate ladder, bypassing opportunities for a husband and family. Fame and fortune was her future, the desire of her heart.

A son lays bleeding on the side of the road, a victim of gang violence. A gang family of sex and violence seemed better than the suburban life of boredom.

O dry bones, creatures of God’s own image, you are loved with an everlasting love. Your Heavenly Father looks upon you with tears of sorrow. A Father who loves you enough to let you go because holding on will not convince you that what you desire is not good for you. O dry bones, flesh of my flesh, the world has convinced you that these temporary pleasures are the meaning and purpose of life. Instead of giving life, they have sucked you dry and left you for dead. You have been used until there is nothing more it can take from your life.

O dry bones, “no eye pities thee, nor has compassion upon thee, but you have been cast out into the open field.” (Eze 16:5) O dry bone, O sinner, the God of heaven desires that “none should perish.” He knows the pain and agony of judgment. He knows the grief and sorrow of rejection and death born upon the shoulders of Christ Jesus. He knows the joy and celebration of Christ’s death and resurrection. O breath, breathe life upon the husband through the bonds of friendship. Breathe God’s enduring love and eternal hope.

O breath, breathe life into the dieing daughter. Come, Father of life, fill this weary soul with Your love, fill her spirit with the knowledge of Your mighty presence and love. Adorn her with a spirit of life and longing for You. Breathe, that she may live for You.

O breath, breathe upon the corporate woman. Fill the tear stained anguish cups with Your living water. Hold the sobbing shoulders underneath your mighty wings. Whisper Your words of strength and peace, your plan and purpose for her life. Breathe that she may live for You.

O breath, breathe life into the dieing son. As paramedics work feverishly to save his life, hear the cries of your servant, a paramedic and child of Yours, cries out for You to save him from this “body of death” and live for Your kingdom glory.

O Breath of Life, Enduring Love, Precious Father, You are the breath of life; breathe upon these slain, that they may live with eternal hope for Your love and glory here on earth and forever more with You in eternity.