For God So Loved the World

Thanksgiving day, with all its delights of food, family, and friends, has passed and the season for preparation begins. As we prepare for the coming of the Christ Child during the season of Advent we also prepare for His coming again.  His infinite love tells us He will come again and gather all those who are His to Himself to live forever with Him in His presence.

Even the death of Jesus was a preparation.  He prepared to go to the Father who loved the world so much that He sent His son to us.  And at that time of preparation Christ's thoughts and prayers were for His children.  Listen to the prayer He prayed to God the Father on behalf of those He loved most---us.

"My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you.  All who are mine belong to you, and you have given them to me, so they bring me glory.  Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name, now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are." John 17:9-11 NLT

"Now I am coming to you.  I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy.  I have given them your word.  And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world.  I'm not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one.  John 17:13-15 NLT

"I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message.  I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one---as you are in me, Father, and I am in you.  And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me...May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.  Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am.  Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began."  John 17:20-21, 23-24 NLT 

Jesus Christ has prayed for us and prepared us to receive His love and to give His love.  I pray this Advent season will be one of preparation for us all---preparing our hearts to show Jesus how much we love Him and the people He loves so much.

To God be the Glory!  Amen. 

 

 

God is Head Over Heels in Love with You

May you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is.  May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully.       Ephesians 3:18-19a.  NLT

The following is a passage by David G. Benner from his book, Surrender to Love, that speaks to knowing the fullness of God's love and understanding His love through meditation on His word, the Bible:

   Does it seem hard to believe that when God thinks of you, love swells in his heart and a smile comes to his face?
   If your identity does not rest on knowing yourself deeply loved by a God who is head-over-heels in love with you, spend some time prayerfully meditating on several passages.  First, however, let me describe what I mean by meditation.
   Christian meditation is like spiritual daydreaming.  Rather that analyzing or thinking about the passage, simply let yourself soak in it.  There is no need to do anything with the words you read.  Instead let them do something to you.  Don't be preoccupied with examining what is happening.  Just allow the words to turn over in your mind and wash over your heart.

Dr. Benner suggests meditating on Psalm 23, Psalm 91, and Romans 8:31-39, among others.  I pray you will come to know the wondrous love of God for you.

To God be the Glory!  Amen

 




 
 

Nothing is More Important

John Stott as quoted by Siang Yang-Tan in Full Service

If only the veil could be taken away from our eyes, if only we could see Jesus in the fullness of His divine human person and His saving work, then we would see that He's worthy of our complete allegiance, our love, and our worship.  Nothing is more important.

Loving Like Jesus Does

I have often thought that the people who are hardest to love are those who need love the most.  Lord Jesus, help me to love others like you love me.

Love is patient and kind.  Love is not boastful or jealous or proud or rude.  It does not demand its own way.  It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.  It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.  Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
                                    1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NLT

Reaching the Heart of God

Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. Colossians 4:2 NIV

Today the heart of God is an open wound of love...He longs for our presence...And he is inviting you---and me---to come home, to come home where we belong, to come home for that which we were created...The key to this home, this heart of God, is prayer.  From Richard Foster in Full Service by Siang-Yang Tan

Through the Day

From: From the Heart by Helen Steiner Rice

I rise before dawn and cry for help; I
have put my hope in your word.  My eyes
stay open through the watches of the night,
that I may meditate on your promises.
               Psalm 119:147-148

I meet God in the morning
and go with Him through the day,
then in the stillness of the night
before sleep comes, I pray.

Jesus Came to Teach Poise

from Jesus in Blue Jeans by Laurie Beth Jones

Poise is a red-winged blackbird balancing ever so lightly on a reed by the river... Jesus came to teach us poise---to make us ever mindful of our wings and God's clear open sky.

The Kingdom

"But when the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne.  All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.

Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world.  For I was hungry, and you fed me.  I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink.  I was a stranger and you invited me into your home.  I was naked, and you gave me clothing.  I was sick, and you cared for me.  I was in prison, and you visited me.'

Matthew 25:31-36 NLT

Christ the Beloved

Place me like a seal over your heart,

like a seal on your arm;

for love is as strong as death, 

its jealousy unyielding as the grave.

It burns like blazing fire,

like a mighty flame.

Many waters cannot quench love;

rivers cannot wash it away.

Song of Songs 8: 6-7 NIV

Christ's love for His people is stronger than death.  He died for us.  He lives again, for us.  

Come, Lord Jesus, come!

The Heartbeat

...And this is the secret: Christ lives in you.  
Colossians 1:27 NLT

O Lord, Creator of heaven and earth
You are...
one whisper
one heartbeat
away.

O Lord, Creator of heaven and earth
You are...
the whisper
the heartbeat.

Come, Lord Jesus, come.

When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the LORD God walking about in the garden. Genesis 3:7 NLT

Come the breaking of dawn
You spread Your love
Through sunbeams and bands
of brilliant color.

Come the cool of the evening
You whisper Your love
Through gardens showered
in soft twilight.

Come, Lord Jesus, come.

Being Fed

Day by day we are given not what we want but what we need.  

Sometimes it is a feast and sometimes it is swept crumbs, but by

faith we believe it is enough to sustain us, if only because it comes 

to us from the hand of God.

                                                       From The Preaching Life

                                                       Barbara Brown Taylor

From Psalm 56

From The Message by Eugene Peterson

God, you did everything you promised,

and I'm thanking you with all my heart.

You pulled me from the brink of death,

my feet from the cliff-edge of doom.

Now I stroll at leisure with God

in the sunlit fields of life.

My Quiet Place by Helen Steiner Rice

My garden beautifies my yard

and adds fragrance to the air---

but it is also my cathedral

and my quiet place of prayer.

He Walks on the Wings of the Wind

Just a breeze is stirring
and He is in our midst
passing by unhurried
He walks on the wings
of the wind.

You make the clouds your chariot;
you ride upon the wings of the wind.
Psalm 104:3 NLT

Celebration

It’s not your Face that I can see
As I sit beneath the trees
It is your Voice that calls my name
In the gentle breeze.

Saying I must look for you
At the heart of Your creation
In the gifts each day that come my way
Making life a celebration!

Great are the works of the LORD; they are pondered by all who delight in them.
Psalm 111:2

Getting Up Early

For several weeks now I've been getting up early. This morning I was awakened by thunder around 4:45 a.m. My first thoughts were of You, my Lord and my God. Sweet Jesus, only You can awaken me feeling refreshed after only four hours sleep. Did I mention I went to bed at 1:00 a.m? This is very strange to me as I normally require at least eight hours sleep.

The house is quiet at this time. Lord, I believe this must be an answered prayer. Michael C. and I are now sharing our home with our two adult daughters. While this blesses my heart it doesn't leave much room for quiet time or a quiet place. Rising and shining at 4:00 a.m. provides the quiet time I need to be with You.

Mark 1:35 in the New Testament says, "Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray." Lord, you needed quiet time with the Father just as I do. Thank you sweet Holy Spirit God for stirring this need in my soul. I love you, Lord. Or as Beth Moore shared, "I love you, too, Lord." Because, after all, You did love me first.

To God Be the Glory! Amen.