“I love her”

My daughter was telling me about a young woman who she works with in a Christian bookstore.  My daughter informed me the young lady has been there long enough to start understanding the flow of the business.  In other words, what needs to be done in the store and when those task should be completed.

Instead she continues to ask a lot of questions on things she has been told many times how to do and when to do it.  She will approach my daughter and just interrupt even while my daughter is assisting a customer.  My daughter had become very frustrated with this individual, and even beginning to wonder how she got through the interview process.

My daughter said she was so frustrated she decided to pray about it.  After she had shared with God her frustrations she paused, and it was in that moment God gently spoke into my daughter’s spirit, and she heard God say, “I love her.”  My daughter said she wept, apologized to God for her attitude, and renewed in her mind to accept the young lady sUnconditional love 2he works with as she is.  She determined to “love” her as God loves her.

Everyone was made in the image of God.  Everyone has value.  Sometimes it is hard to see this truth, but it is there.  You may have to dig deeper, get to know them better, but you will find their worth.  This kind of effort takes unconditional love, acceptance, and time.

For My Friend…For Me

My friend was expressing his concerns in an area of his life.  The way he was talking it became clear that he was limiting God and not even realizing it.  I said to my friend, “You are limiting God.  You are putting him in a box, and theoretically saying, “God, in my mind, you can only do so much.””  My friend smiled and said to me, “You should write that down.  That was good.”  I told him, “I don’t have to, because God has been telling me that as well.”  I said, “It is written down on my heart.”

It seems as if it is so easy for us to forget just how big God really is.  Just how mighty and awesome is his power.  In the way we think and talk to him we must make him feel like looking down at his name tag.  To see if it still says, “Hello, my name is: God” I think it is in those times God wants to review with us his resume.

“Am I not the one who created the heavens and the earth?  Am I not the one who said, “Let there be”, and there was?   Am I not the one who flooded the whole earth to cleans it of sin, and yet I provided salvation for the few who believed?  Am I not the one who divided the Red Sea and again provided salvation for my people?  I have made water come from a rock, walls fall, the earth stand still, defeated a giant with a stone, and little boy, shut the mouths of hungry lions, allowed my servants to walk through fire, and yet not get burn, again and again delivered the children of Israel from the hand of their enemy, raised the dead, healed the sick and the lame, and so much more, and yet if all of that wasn’t enough I am the one who gave my only Son to die on a cross and then raised him from the dead so that anyone can have salvation from eternal death!  Am I not also the one who can heal you, deliver you, provide for you, guide you, and keep you until the end?  Or did you think you were talking to a lesser god?”

We limit God, because our minds have limits.  For us there is only so much we can do, but not for God.  He has no limits.  Let him out of the box.  Give him the time and freedom to do a work in us, on us, for us, and hopefully through us.  Don’t be guilty of putting any kind of limits on God, especially a “time” limit.  Remember to stay focused on his name tag, for HE IS GOD!Hello_my name is God

The Day Before

While talking to a co-worker this last week she said she was most excited about “the day before” her last day of work.  I thought the phrase sounded odd until she explained.  “The day before my last day will be the greatest, because on that day I will know that “tomorrow” is my last day to get up and go to work.”

After our conversation I begin to think about those three words: “The day before”.  I seriously pondered what mine would be.  It wouldn’t be before my last day at work, but it would have to be the day before my last day on earth.  You see if I could know what my last day on earth would be then I would have the realization that the day before would be the last day I would have to fight the evil one, fight my flesh, and deal with people who have chosen not to accept Jesus Christ and live for Him.  You see those things make one weary.  I think that is why I will say and then hear, “I have fought the good fight of faith.  I have finished the race”, and Jesus tell me, “Well done thy good and faithful servant.” (2TI 4:7,  MAT. 25:32)

Of a similar thought, what would you do “the day before” if you knew?  If you knew that tomorrow you get The Day Before 1that pink slip, or that positive blood test back, or you’re going to die, or a natural disaster was going to hit.  Who would you talk to?  What would be so important to you that you just had to take care of it…the day before?

Today could be the day before. For me, if my day before was before leaving earth, the day before I am fighting, but the day after I am truly living the way God intended all along.  Then I will be living life abundantly.  With no more sin, no more hurts, and no more tears.  I am looking forward to my day before!

Everything

At the end of every conversation with my kids I always ask them the same two questions, “Is there anything you want?” and “Is there anything you need?”  I have taught them over the years that there is a big difference in the two, and that they don’t always get what they want.  As their father who loves them I want to bless them with good gifts, but most certainly want to meet their needs!  I want them to have everything they need, and not be in want.

My heavenly Father wants the same for me.  Mat 7:11 “As bad as you are, you wouldn’t think of such a thing. You’re at least decent to your own children. So don’t you think the God who conceived you in love will be even better?”  I have been going through a time of trying to figure out what I want vs. what I need.  This last week I came across a song by Lifehouse entitled, “Everything”.  In the lyrics it says,

“Find me here, And speak to me, I want to feel you, I need to hear you, You are the light, That’s leading me, To the place, Where I find peace again.

You are the strength, That keeps me walking, You are the hope, That keeps me trusting, You are the light, To my soul.  You are my purpose, You’re everything.

How can I stand here with you, And not be moved by you?  Would you tell me, How could it be, Any better than this?

You calm the storms, And you give me rest.  You hold me in your hands, You won’t let me fall.  You steal my heart, And you take my breath away, Would you take me in, Take me deeper now.

My favorite line in the song is, “How can I stand here with you, And not be moved by you?”  I realize through the help of this song that though I search for what I feel I want I really have all I need in God.  How could it be any better than this?  (Click on this line to hear the song)