He SO loves us.

So, imagine this.  You meet someone that you've never encountered before.  Which is really strange, because they know every single detail about your life.  EVERYTHING.  They know every lie you have told from the weight on your driver's license to the "adjustments" on your taxes; they know all the good feelings you have towards people, but all the hatred you feel, too; they can list off every wrongdoing you have done to the people around you, every addiction you have ever faced, every person you have ever slept with.  They know all of this, but yet they repeatedly proclaim their love for you.  You can't imagine who this person even is, since you have never told them any of the things they know and you most certainly have never told anyone else.  You REALLY can't imagine why they are telling you over and over why they love you either, given that they know all the dirty, nasty secrets of your life.  Then, on top of professing this absurd undying love, they say that they say that they love you SO much that they have paid off your mortgage, your cars, your student loans, AND have set up a bottomless bank account in your name and you are welcome to spend any amount of money on anything you want for the rest of your life.

 

Wouldn't that be AMAZING?!  You don't know who this person is, but you immediately fling yourself on them, hug them so tight they can barely breathe, kiss their face, and without even knowing it, instantly feel indebted to them forever.  There is nothing you wouldn't do to show them your appreciation.  Now, not only do they give you everything your heart desires materialistically, but they tell you they have the perfect husband, family, and future planned out for you.  It's just too good to be true.  And to top it all off, they tell you you owe them NOTHING.  ZILCH.  NADA.  NOT A SINGLE DIME.  All they want you to do is tell everyone about what they have done for you so they can do the same for them.  You can't get to your cell phone to call, text, or facebook fast enough.  Your gas pedal is on the verge of going through the floorboard you're pushing it so hard...

 

I'm sure you see where I'm going with this by now, right?  Y'all, I have $20,000 in student loans right now that are growing with each passing day because of interest.  It makes my stomach turn to think about paying all of that back.  If someone ONLY offered to pay those off for me, I would never be able to thank them enough.  I would yell their name from the rooftops.  There wouldn't be a soul I met that wouldn't know the story of how I came to know the person who paid off my debt for me.

 

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

 

The most famous Bible verse in the world.  Let's break it down, shall we?  "For God so loved the world"...this world.  That we live in at this very moment.  A world with terrorism.  A world where mothers drown their children in the bathtub.  A world where men find pleasure in looking at pictures of naked children.  A world where we lie, cheat, and steal and have no remorse.  This filthy, embarrassing, grotesque world.  God SO loved that world.  He SO loves us.  Every single disgusting person that walks it.  He SO loves them.  "That He gave His only Son"...I don't have children yet, but I have Trenton.  And let's be honest, he's pretty much mine (: I cannot express what happens inside of my heart when I see that child with tears in his eyes.  Even if it is for the most ridiculous reason, it breaks me.  I can't handle it.  It is pitiful and all I want to do is give him every single thing his little heart desires.  Do you think that for a single second I would do anything to hurt him at the expense of someone I didn't know, much less someone I know has done horrible, unspeakable things during their life?  Not a chance.  Oh, but God SO loved that people, that He allowed those very people to murder His son.  And not just a quick bullet to the heart, either.  A slow, painful death that was on display for people to watch and laugh at.  "That whoever believes in Him"...not that whoever has lived a good life and believes in Him.  Or whoever has at least $1,000 in their bank account and believes in Him.  WHOEVER believes in Him.  Remember that mom who drowned her kids in the tub?  Or that terrorist who blew up the twin towers?  Yep.  Them.  If they believe.  "Should not perish, but have eternal life"...oh, but not just eternal life.  Eternal life in Heaven.  With streets of gold and mansions and joyful noises.  WHOEVER will have eternal life, if they believe.

 

We can't imagine how we would repay the savior of our bank account.  We know that we would be sharing that story with every single person we come in contact with.  And if he said he would do it for them too?!  We would just make it our life's goal to tell everyone we encounter about the man who will pay off your debt with no repayment!  There would be no question about it at all.  And oh, how we would live to make his name famous.

 

So, what are we waiting for? 

 

I love you and I'm praying for you!

To Find Favor in Him.

"For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7

 

A couple of nights ago a few friends and I got together for a super bowl party.  Bear with me, because I'm going to be embarrassingly honest here.  My co-worker threw the party and was excited that both I and her husband's friend would be there, because we are both single.  I already knew going in to the situation that I wasn't interested in the guy, not because he isn't a nice guy but just because we live our lives a little differently than the other, but she was persistent, still.  Once we got to the party he and I were casual but luckily he didn't know about the alterior motives my friend had.  A couple of hours into the party, I caught myself looking in the mirror in the bathroom and primping like us girls do.  For a split second I had the thought, "I don't even think he has noticed me tonight.  I sure wish I was skinnier and prettier and I should have done something different with my hair." 

 

Now, I had already told myself, and my friends, that I wasn't interested in this guy and he wasn't what I thought God had for me.  But yet I found myself looking for his approval anyway.  I didn't even notice what I did until I was on my way home.  I was driving and just thought to myself, "man, you miss the point every single day.  You were looking for the approval of man, yet again".  I made sure to stop right then and thank God that I don't have to concern myself with what others think of me, as long as who I am and what I do is pleasing to Him.

 

Way too often, we get so caught up on what others think of us that we forget who we are here to please.  We are called to work hard not to find favor with our co-workers and our bosses, but to find favor in Christ.  We are to live with pure hearts not so that those around us think we are good people, but so that we are pleasing to the Lord.  We are to do good and be kind and love others and give of ourselves not so that people like us, but so that Christ's love shows through us, and that by us, others may find Jesus.

 

I hope that today you realize that you don't need man's approval.  This world is deceitful and ugly and temporary.  The Son of God came and was killed, because He likes you and me that much!  Let's work toward pleasing the One who gave up His life for us, rather than those who are always going to find flaws in us despite our best efforts.

 

I love you and I'm praying for you!