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Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Wash Over Me Fresh

It has been a very full few weeks for me and my emotions, as is highly evident by my absence.  I have been to a place in my heart and mind that leaves me unable to map where I am...as I am totally unsure myself.  I have gone down to the depths of fear and worry as circumstances rose out of my control around me...and I have have riden high on the waves as I lifted my hands in praise of the God that rules even when my heart is absent-mindedly twiddling with my faith.  I have laughed until I thought my stomach would burst and I have spent moments in deep reflection, pondering what it is that I really believe and trust in...

Last sunday, our Pastor stood at the pulpit and posed these questions:
Are you thankful for God's love?
Why?

Then he stood and just looked at us for a response.

Like anyone would sit in church on a Sunday morning and say "No", right??....

Then he said something that shocked me...
He said "I bet I can get you to question your original answer by the time I am done speaking."

He took a good deal of time to discuss our viewpoint of love...


...about how it revolves around "me"...

...what feels good to me
...what hurts me

Human love, in simple truth, is selfish and self-lifting. 




Then he gave us this definition of love, from God's viewpoint:
"Doing whatever needs to be done,
at whatever cost to Himself or to us,
so that we will see and be satisfied with
the love of God in Christ."

This really made me stop and think so hard that I missed a couple of minutes of his talking...

Do we really grasp the truth of the verses on love in 1 Corinthians 13:
Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking,
it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.

Do we really grasp that God Himself became human?

That He put aside His holiness to take on the skin of flaw...emotion...temptation...

...that He put aside the part of Him that can't stand sin
in order to walk a fully blameless life on a sinful planet
in order to hang on a cross,
naked, covered in the sin of the people He loves
in order that they would never have to...


I am not sure that it is possible for our frail, forgetful and often self-seeking hearts to fully grasp the truth of who He is or how much He loves us...

...but I do hope that in your busy, harsh, joyful and normal every day lives you will have a moment like I did.

...a moment that leaves you unable to do anything but stop and try to get it...
to let it wash over you fresh...
to let it halt the beat of your heart as you try to envision the scope of the love He carries for YOU...

...and I pray it changes the rest of the day in which you are given to live.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all...may it be full of reminders of His love
and of the love you have around you. :)
Listening to the breath of His love while looking up as always...

10 comments:

Diane said...

Thank you and love you. :O)

Eileen Astels Watson said...

A powerful post, Bina!

I have cried in wonder of his agape love. I have cried in heartache of failure to reach that most perfect love. And I have smiled from heart in the rare, fleeting moments that I discover I'm able to house something similar, as close as humans can manage anyway, of that kind of perfect love. How I wish those fleeting moments could last much, much longer, but the sinner I am is much too weak to hold on for more than a few seconds in certain instances, with certain people.

Praise God for his amazing forgiveness! May He continue to make a good work out of me.

Christina Davis said...

Bina,

This is wonderful. Do you mind sharing who your pastor is? What an insightful message.

I am thankful for God's love, I am counting on it.

Unknown said...

Hey Bina, thanks for sharing this. Happy so thankful Thanksgiving....

alicia said...

Beautiful, my friend. Love your words, love your challenges, and of course, love you!
Have a blessed Thanksgiving.

Tea with Tiffany said...

God loves changes everything. I love to focus on who God is, for it changes me.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, Bina.

Karen said...

Happy Thanksgiving, Bina. His love in "past understanding." Thanks for this post.

~*Michelle*~ said...

Thank you so much Bina for another beautiful post, filled with Truth....and as usual, leaving me with much to think about.

Jennifer @ JenniferDukesLee.com said...

God's love never fails.

I'm always struck by the fact that no matter how much "good" we do, God will never love us any more than He already does, because we can't EARN His love. And no matter how much bad stuff we do, He will never love us any less.

Isn't that something?

Bina said...

To all my friends who took the time to comment...

Diane...I love you right back!

Eileen...your heartfelt comment brought tears to my eyes! Thank you for your expression of love for Him...as it reminded my heart of His as well.

Christina...our pastor is quite the blessing for his hard study and love of God. I sent you an email...

Sara...hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful! :)

my Alicia...I love you too! :)

Tiffany...His love does change everything...and I am so very thankful for that even as I type this out.

Karen...you are welcome...thanks.

Michelle... It's been awhile since I have let vulnerability show, but then I read these comments and remember why God has us here. We are to help and encourage each other, even IF we never meet face to face...our hearts know each other by His love. :)

Jennifer... Preach it!

I love you all...really. You all consistantly reach out to me, and you are all very appreciated! Sorry it took me so long to reply...but I am here now :)
Bina

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