Today, in my reading through the Bible, I came to the Song of Solomon. I know there is controversy about this book--is it picturing an actual love relationship between a man and woman or is it a picture of God's love for us. I think it's both and has much to teach us about both. It is a wonderful picture of love. Today I read it as a picture of God's love for me and was so blessed.
"I am my Beloved's and He is mine." What a wonderful encouragement this is. he loves me/us with an intensity that I can't relate to, I can just be in awe of it. He thinks of me as beautiful, because of what Christ did for me at the cross. Me, beautiful! Amazing!
And the picture of my beloved is awesome.
My reading in the New Testament was Jude today and how encouraging the final verses of that little book were, in light of the picture of His love.
Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling,
and to make you stand in His presence of His glory blameless with great joy,
to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord,
be glory, Majesty, dominion, and authority
before all time, and now, and forever.
Amen and Amen.
Oh how I long for the day when we will be presented to Jesus as His beloved bride.
Even so come Lord Jesus!
Monday, December 29, 2008
Saturday, December 27, 2008
My Hero
I recently attended a "celebration of life" for my dad who died in August. I knew that it would be a bit awkward as I would be meeting many people who had my dad involved in their lives for the 25 years that he chose to not be involved with my brother, sister, and me. It was hard to hear of what a wonderful grandpa he was and not grieve over the fact that he wasn't that grandpa to my kids. It was a reminder of all of the special events of my life that he chose to not be part of.
He was described as their "hero." Can a hero be so good and so bad at the same time? In reality isn't that all of us? He had been my hero as a small child, I was a daddy's girl. But that changed when I turned 13 and he walked out of my life. I had to face the reality then that he didn't love me as I thought he had and it was a hard reality. The last 22 years he has been part of my life again and I am very thankful for that. I have gotten to know who he really was. He was a man who did the best that he was able to do with how he was prepared for life.
God drew me to Himself that year and became my Father and Mother and I am so grateful for that. He is and will always truly be my hero. He promised to never leave me or forsake me, that I have an eternal home with Him, life as He designed it. His Son willingly set aside His glory and took on flesh to reveal God, the Father, to us and to die to free us from our slavery to our sin, and He rose again in victory. He chose this sacrifice out of His great love and justice.
This is what a true hero is and why only Jesus can fit the discription. Men will fail us, they will leave us but God never will and He proved it at the cross.
Who is your hero? Who do you look up to? I pray that it will be Jesus, my Savior. If you haven't read the book of John lately I'd encourage you to read it. I guarentee that you will be encouraged and humbled.
He was described as their "hero." Can a hero be so good and so bad at the same time? In reality isn't that all of us? He had been my hero as a small child, I was a daddy's girl. But that changed when I turned 13 and he walked out of my life. I had to face the reality then that he didn't love me as I thought he had and it was a hard reality. The last 22 years he has been part of my life again and I am very thankful for that. I have gotten to know who he really was. He was a man who did the best that he was able to do with how he was prepared for life.
God drew me to Himself that year and became my Father and Mother and I am so grateful for that. He is and will always truly be my hero. He promised to never leave me or forsake me, that I have an eternal home with Him, life as He designed it. His Son willingly set aside His glory and took on flesh to reveal God, the Father, to us and to die to free us from our slavery to our sin, and He rose again in victory. He chose this sacrifice out of His great love and justice.
This is what a true hero is and why only Jesus can fit the discription. Men will fail us, they will leave us but God never will and He proved it at the cross.
Who is your hero? Who do you look up to? I pray that it will be Jesus, my Savior. If you haven't read the book of John lately I'd encourage you to read it. I guarentee that you will be encouraged and humbled.
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
Crazy Thinking
Edward Welch in When People are Big and God is Small says that when our interpretation of our past takes precedence over God's interpretation of it we are open to crazy thoughts that lead to sinful actions.
I don't think this applies only to our past. How often am I responding to my interpretation of my present instead of seeking God's interpretation of it? Am I looking for what He is doing and how He sees things, or just trying to make life work?
Am I standing on Christ, the mighty rock, or the other ground that is really sinking sand?
I don't think this applies only to our past. How often am I responding to my interpretation of my present instead of seeking God's interpretation of it? Am I looking for what He is doing and how He sees things, or just trying to make life work?
Am I standing on Christ, the mighty rock, or the other ground that is really sinking sand?
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