This morning I have been reflecting on a couple things, they are somewhat what related but not entirely. They came to me as I was listening (if you have never tried to listen to the bible, I recommend it, its a great way to listen to the stories of the Bible, it's like story time when you were a kid!) to the end of the story of David. Warning just because I had the thoughts when I was listening to the stories, does not mean they are related to the stories, this is not an exegetical paper, just some of my ponderings...
The LORD God is gather us to Himself, like a hen gathers her chicks under her wing. no matter how many times we screw up, run away from him, and not matter how big, messy and ugly are mistakes and rebellion are, God is actively, lovingly, and patiently gather us to Himself.
Why?
Because He is our Father, our Maker, as a mother loves her young, even more so does our heavenly Father love us with a never ending and perfect love. He looks upon us with grace and mercy because he knows we are weak, that we are broken, and in need of His grace and mercy everyday, all day!
I don't need approval
or affection.
I don't need money
or nice things,
I don't need beauty
or health.
I don't need an education
or experiences.
I don't need success
or achievements.
I don't need fun
or pleasure.
I don't need family
or friends.
I get a little nervous making this list. Before you freak out, I'm not saying all these things aren't good, I am only reflecting on the idea that if all these things were stripped away from me, how would I feel? I know that even when I have only partially lost one or maybe two of these things I have been thrown into a tail spin! Questioning God and his goodness, losing my sense of identity...
This got me thinking that although God often blesses us many of these things and more, I have put my trust, identity, love, time, energy, worship, and faith into some of these things...
my trust, identity, love, time, energy, worship, and faith should be in God, as He is really truly the one One I need at the end of the day.
I can know this in theory, but living it out is turning out to be quite the challenge. So my question to you is how do we not just put God at the top of our to do/need list, but rather how do we have God be our entire list, how do we have God not just be the most important in our lives, but have him be our lives, how do we live with God as the center, living out of his truth, love, grace, and mercy?
As I have been reading and reflecting on the stories of David I have been encouraged by a broken, messy, passionate seeker after God, who no matter what he was doing or not doing, he was "dealing" with God, he was praying, praising, worshiping, crying, wrestling, singing, dancing, getting angry... David was by no means perfect, he is not a model for us, he is a mirror, he reflects to us our own humanity, he is shows us what it means to be a human who is seeking after God's own heart in a broken, messy world...
I warned you, not really connected, kind of scattered thoughts...
What can you take home?
God LOVES you because he is your Father, that's it nothing you can do about it, you are LOVED by your Father God and he's not going to stop because of anything you do or don't do, and he's not going to love you more because of anything you do or don't do.
Maria is needing things more than God (maybe you are too?) and she's not entirely sure what to do about this, other than looking into the mirror of David and learning from his "dealings" with God. Get real, get honest, deal with God, no matter where your at, no matter what you have done or not done, deal with God, pray, praise, worship, cry, wrestle, sing, dance, get angry...
Just do it! Deal with God! because he is your Father who loves you and he is full of grace and mercy...
