In Love with God

"He said to him, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.  This is the greatest and most important commandment.'" Matthew 22:37-38

Do you realize that God loves you with a love that causes Him to actually pursue you?  He really does!  Loving God is never a one sided relationship.  He created us to love Him and be in relationship with Him.  I am reading a book called Experiencing God by Blackaby and it gives such amazing insight into this concept.  

Blackaby says, "As you accept His love and forgiveness, He wants you to know and worship Him."  All I have to compare it with is my human relationships which I know are different but also similar in many ways.  For instance when I began to fall in love with my husband while we were dating, I longed to be with him and spend time with him.  God desires that same feeling from us toward Himself, which is so awesome when you really think about it!

My challenge to you today is to spend some time with God just loving on Him.  Tell Him all the reasons you love Him and worship Him.  Thank Him for all the blessings in your life which have come from Him.  Then just sit with him a while just enjoying His presence.  

Multiplying Tires

And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.” Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.John 6:11–13

Just last week we realized that air was leaking from one of the tires on my car.  When my husband went to put more air in the tire he discovered a nail.  The next day he took the car to have the tire repaired only to find out that another tire had two nails in it!  To say the least, he was not happy about this discovered need.

My husband asked me a very good question when he returned home.  "Why is it that things like this always happen at the worst possible times?"  You see, we have a trip planned for our daughter's birthday in a few weeks and had been saving for the trip instead of new tires. But, we must have tires in order to take the trip!  But that's just it.  We were focusing on meeting our own need when our family knows first hand how God can meet our need in ways that will leave us amazed.  We have continued to see Him over and over meet our every need with plenty left over, just like the scripture above.  God always gives you more than enough!

Instead of worrying, we have begun to pray about this need for new tires.  That may sound very strange to you but that's exactly what Jesus did when He prayed to His Father during a time of need.  We know that Jesus did not have any money or food to feed the people who came to hear the Word of God.  He prayed for the needs to be met and we all know that not only were they met but there was a lot left over!  Praise the Lord!

What is different about tires or the need you are facing today?  I tell you, nothing!  Tell God what your need is today and watch how He will meet it.  Remember, though, it may not be in your way or time, but it will always be right. 

On the Flip Side

Surely he will save you

    from the fowler’s snare

    and from the deadly pestilence.

4 

He will cover you with his feathers,

    and under his wings you will find refuge;

    his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. Psalm 91:3,4

God finds very unique ways of teaching us new life lessons each and every day.  His choices are not my choices and this was very true on the morning of March 31st.  I had been experiencing pain and extreme fatigue for several days when blood work showed a very high white blood count.  I was asked by my doctor to go to a local hospital radiology department to have an abdominal CT scan done in order to fine the cause of my pain and now infection.  

It was found that I had a severe case of appendicitis and was rushed to another hospital for an emergency appendectomy!  The entire experience was orchestrated by the Father for every thing and person fell perfectly into place.  

After surgery I soon realized that now I was the patient and no longer the caregiver.  I was uncomfortable on this side of the bed, so to speak.  I did not enjoy others having to wait on me and do things for me.  I did not like having to have help getting out of the bed and to the bathroom.  I did not like knowing that others were having to take care of my daughter instead of me.  I did not like giving up control and resting.  I found myself experiencing extreme frustration from time to time especially during the first days of being home and recovering.  

I know God is teaching me how to receive care.  He has also revealed several truths about how my husband, who I care for, has felt but I could not have understood until now.  I have embraced this time knowing it was from Him and also knowing it has only caused me to grow as His daughter and as a caregiver.