He Wants
What it is?
Remember, tonight we're eating supper in the Union at about 5:45. Also, remember that it's not too late to sign up to go to Mt. George this weekend for the "mini" mission. Please be praying for this weekend, the spring break missions, the summer missions, and our daily missions right here in NW Arkansas.
God neither needs nor depends on me for anything. "All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever." (1 Peter 1:24) Yes, I am small and insignificant—a speck in God's endless universe—and everything is "meaningless." (see Ecclesiastes) BUT.....
While God neither needs me nor depends on me, He WANTS me. That's right, li'l ol' me. Think of the story of the prodigal son. When the son returned home after squandering his inheritance and his father saw him coming over the horizon, his father RAN to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. "I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent." (see Luke 15) Our salvation is so important to God that whenever one of us comes to Him, He throws a party. Is that not cool?! Makes me feel pretty important.
While we are small and insignificant, it doesn't change the fact that we are His creation; He wants our all, He wants relationship with us, and He loves us beyond comprehension. Whenever I read Paul's writings, I enjoy how he makes comparisons to help the reader understand things better. For example, "If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. And if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!" (2 Corinthians 3:9-11) I think the same kind of comparison can be made to give us a glimpse of just how much God loves us.
What do you love? Your friends, family, possessions, popularity? How far would you go to keep, care for, or sustain the people or things you love the most in this world? I love my two brothers more than anybody else on this earth. I can't wait for you to meet them, whether in this life or the next. I know you're gonna love 'em too. I would come to their side with a quickness if they ever needed help. I love them so much that I can't stand the thought that one day they might not be here anymore. The people I love the most, though, I don't even have yet. I don't have a wife yet and I am not anywhere close to having kids, but I already feel so much love for them in my heart that I know I'll do anything for them. If I can love my brothers and my future wife and kids as much as I do and if you can love whatever it is that you love as much as you do—so much so that we're willing to do anything for them—if we, who are sinners, imperfect, and evil can love as much as we do, imagine how much unimaginably and immeasurably more God must love us: because He is Love. Does that not blow your mind?!
Not only is He willing to do anything for us, He has already done everything by sacrificing His Son and raising Him from the dead. And He hasn't stopped seeking insignificant us. "For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him." (2 Chronicles 16:9)
The beauty of God and His Word and the way everything was, is, and is being perfectly woven together to fulfill His will never ceases to amaze me. He is the Master of Paradox (and many other literary terms):
Rejoice in suffering. Boast about weakness. Humble yourself and He will lift you up. Be a living sacrifice. We are saved through faith and not works, but faith without works is dead. Death brings life. God is One and yet made up of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He is everywhere, yet each of us is His temple. We are fragile jars of clay, yet God loves us and wants to live in us.
Only the "author and perfector of our faith" could come up with stuff this good!
Well, I guess I'll let you go. Thanks for reading.
In Him,
Mitch
Remember, tonight we're eating supper in the Union at about 5:45. Also, remember that it's not too late to sign up to go to Mt. George this weekend for the "mini" mission. Please be praying for this weekend, the spring break missions, the summer missions, and our daily missions right here in NW Arkansas.
God neither needs nor depends on me for anything. "All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever." (1 Peter 1:24) Yes, I am small and insignificant—a speck in God's endless universe—and everything is "meaningless." (see Ecclesiastes) BUT.....
While God neither needs me nor depends on me, He WANTS me. That's right, li'l ol' me. Think of the story of the prodigal son. When the son returned home after squandering his inheritance and his father saw him coming over the horizon, his father RAN to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. "I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent." (see Luke 15) Our salvation is so important to God that whenever one of us comes to Him, He throws a party. Is that not cool?! Makes me feel pretty important.
While we are small and insignificant, it doesn't change the fact that we are His creation; He wants our all, He wants relationship with us, and He loves us beyond comprehension. Whenever I read Paul's writings, I enjoy how he makes comparisons to help the reader understand things better. For example, "If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. And if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!" (2 Corinthians 3:9-11) I think the same kind of comparison can be made to give us a glimpse of just how much God loves us.
What do you love? Your friends, family, possessions, popularity? How far would you go to keep, care for, or sustain the people or things you love the most in this world? I love my two brothers more than anybody else on this earth. I can't wait for you to meet them, whether in this life or the next. I know you're gonna love 'em too. I would come to their side with a quickness if they ever needed help. I love them so much that I can't stand the thought that one day they might not be here anymore. The people I love the most, though, I don't even have yet. I don't have a wife yet and I am not anywhere close to having kids, but I already feel so much love for them in my heart that I know I'll do anything for them. If I can love my brothers and my future wife and kids as much as I do and if you can love whatever it is that you love as much as you do—so much so that we're willing to do anything for them—if we, who are sinners, imperfect, and evil can love as much as we do, imagine how much unimaginably and immeasurably more God must love us: because He is Love. Does that not blow your mind?!
Not only is He willing to do anything for us, He has already done everything by sacrificing His Son and raising Him from the dead. And He hasn't stopped seeking insignificant us. "For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him." (2 Chronicles 16:9)
The beauty of God and His Word and the way everything was, is, and is being perfectly woven together to fulfill His will never ceases to amaze me. He is the Master of Paradox (and many other literary terms):
Rejoice in suffering. Boast about weakness. Humble yourself and He will lift you up. Be a living sacrifice. We are saved through faith and not works, but faith without works is dead. Death brings life. God is One and yet made up of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He is everywhere, yet each of us is His temple. We are fragile jars of clay, yet God loves us and wants to live in us.
Only the "author and perfector of our faith" could come up with stuff this good!
Well, I guess I'll let you go. Thanks for reading.
In Him,
Mitch
posted by mitch | 4:58 AM
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