As a CHRIST follower I am called to love GOD and love people. I know this, and I love GOD, and if I am honest I love some people. By some, I mean people, who I "feel" have deserved my love by proving to me that they are worthy of my love. YIKES!!!! It takes my breath away typing that just as much as it did when HE revealed it to me this morning.
HIS Daily Teachings today is getting right to the matters of my heart when it comes to my love for ALL people. HE is telling me that while I love some people, HE didn't create me just to love some people. HE created me to LOVE ALL people. HE is telling me that this means whether I "feel" they deserve it or NOT doesn't matter, they are HIS children, just as I am HIS child, and because I know that HE loves me, and I want to be like HIM, I must choose to love people.
HE is taking me back to yesterday while I was on a road trip with my five blessings. At the beginning of our trip, I prayed, I thanked HIM for HIS constant protection for our family, and prayed that I would be alert in my driving. I prayed for courage to face the traffic for the long drive I had ahead of me. In my prayer however, I didn't ask for the one thing that would have made the trip so much better, and that was, that when someone did something I didn't like, or scared me, that I would be able to see them, as HE sees them, and I would be able to see past their offenses, and LOVE them as HE LOVES me.
Within the first ten minutes of the trip I realized I had forgotten our I-pass which is a neat little device that is scanned while driving through the toll way. It's very convenient so that I don't have to stop and pay a toll, rather I can just keep driving and it's automatically deducted. By taking the toll way it cuts almost thirty minutes off of my trip. Upon realizing that I had forgotten the I-pass, I began to panic, and in my panic, a call was placed to my husband asking him what way I should take.
Having lived in this area ten years ago, my sweet husband D assumed that I knew where I was, were I was going, and how I was going to get there. Very quickly however, it was determined that NOT only did I NOT know where I was, I didn't have a clue as to how to get there. In that moment of sheer panic, driving my big SUV with my five blessings in it, in grid lock traffic, with construction all around I lost it. In my frustration, and anger with myself, I began to say things, and words unloving, unkind, un-motivational, uncaring words began to fly out of my mouth. I began cursing, and could feel my blood pressure rising.
I was wearing a necklace that was given to me by a dear friend that is a key that says courage. It was in that moment that I realized how badly I was freaking out that I grabbed onto my key, and prayed, "LORD I need courage, please LORD help me OVERCOME my anger, and keep me focused on what I need to be doing. LORD lead me to where I need to go. Help me to stay calm, and stand firm in my FAITH that YOU have this ALL worked out."
While my daughter was frantically speaking to her Daddy about how badly Mama was freaking out, I could feel a sense of calm wash over me, and soon I was turned around, and headed to where I needed to be. I wish I could write and say that was the end of the trial of my anger, and patience, however, that was NOT to be the case. Thirty minutes into our drive I was doing great, driving in a three lane expressway with hardly any cars in sight. Soon I came up behind a cement truck, and when I went to change lanes, I did so, and in doing so, I soon realized I had cut off a small little car that was in my blind spot. Upon realizing what I had done, words, the same words from before began to escape from my mouth. Sadly throughout the rest of our trip whenever something happened, or I felt fear, words, those words kept escaping.
With my heart heavy, and burdened by my actions yesterday, I wrote in my journal that the nastiness that is in my heart is something that I need HIS help to OVERCOME. Today HE is teaching me that the nastiness that is in my heart is because I have NOT chosen to love people as HE LOVES me. HE is wanting me to remember the times where I mess up and offend people, HIS grace is amazing, is ALL sufficient for me. This means that just as I am forgiven, so I can forgive other people for their mistakes. HE is wanting me to know that instead of getting flustered and all worked up about things that I can't control, I must choose to see things through HIS perspective so that I will be doing my part by letting HIM build HIS KINGDOM within me. HE is reminding me once again that it's my job to make this world less heartless and cruel.
"But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me." 2 Corinthians 12:9
HE is telling me that I won't be able to do that until I let go of my offenses, and seek HIM and HIS ways, and see people as HE sees them, and LOVE people, as HE LOVES them, and LOVES me. HE is wanting me to know that I am able to love people, because HE has taught me how to love them, by how HE shows me, and proves to me how much HE loves me. HE is wanting me to know that I show HIM how much I love, and adore HIM, by how I choose to obey HIM.
HE is telling me that my stronghold of being unloving towards people is something that with HIM I can, and will OVERCOME! HE is wanting me to know that in order to overcome I must first activate my FAITH in HIM, by choosing to obey HIS commandments.
" Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." The second is this: "Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:30-31
In choosing to activate my FAITH, HE is telling me that I will do so by doing what HE calls me to do. This means that I am to seek out, and choose to see the good in people. HE is wanting me to be kind to people, even when they are unkind to me. HE wants me to be patient with people, even when they are impatient with me. HE is wanting me to choose to be like HIM when it comes to loving people. HE is telling me that this means I am to choose to see past the nastiness, and bitterness that a person is portraying. This means that when I am "feeling" attacked I must choose to stand firm in my FAITH that I am NOT who they are telling I am, as I know I am HIS, and I have been chosen to be HIS Disciple, and that is NOT something that I take lightly.
In knowing that I have been chosen to be HIS Disciple, I know that it is HIS calling for my life, to be HIS hands and feet. This means that when someone does something I don't necessarily agree with or like, I look past that, and truly see the person, and NOT the sin. This is how I will be able to love the sinner, and hate the sin.
"You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy." But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" Matthew 5:43-44
HE is wanting me to know that in choosing to activate my FAITH, I am showing HIM that I trust HIM, and because I trust HIM, I can do what HE calls me to do, and that means that I can choose to see people as HE sees them, and I can love people as HE loves them. HE is reminding me of the time where I was in my walk with HIM, where I knew of HIM, but didn't really know HIM. HE is reminding me of the longing I had in my heart to know JESUS, and to have a relationship with HIM, as other's had portrayed to me.
HE is reminding me once again that in choosing to follow HIM as HIS Disciple, means that I let go of my way of doing things, in ALL things, and seek HIM, and HIS will and allow HIM to transform and renew my heart, soul, and mind so that I will be CHRIST like. HE is telling me that in going through my own transformation, I must NOT fault other's that they have yet to undergo their own transformation.
Today HE is asking me to remember the time in my life where HE was there in the arms of people who loved me when I couldn't love myself. How HE was there in the words of people who I didn't even know knew HIM, and spoke HIS promises to me, even as early of the age of six when my favorite song was "I Will Be Here For You" by Michael W. Smith, and my favorite line being, "I'll shine a light for you."
Today HE is filling me with HIS loving reminder that HE is my light in this cruel dark, and lonely world. HE is the light in me, that is to bring HOPE to others. HE is LOVE and HIS LOVE resides in me, and flows NOT only into me, but through me. Through HIS message, my story, HIS message of HOPE, that is HIS love for people, and through HIS love, I am able to love, NOT on my own accord, but because when I choose to obey HIM, HIS power, HIS love, HIS mercy, HIS grace, and HIS blessings wash over me, as HIS word, HE is my living water, HE is GOD, HE is good, HE is LOVE, HE is everything that you or I could every possibly need. Through everything that I will endure, have endured, or will ever endure, ONE thing remains, HIS LOVE NEVER fails.
"The faithful love of the Lord never ends. His mercies never cease" Lamentations 3:22
This morning HIS word washes over me like cool water, refreshing me, and renewing and strengthening my FAITH in HIM. Today I am holding HIS loving words close to my heart, and meditating on them. Today HE has spoken to me, and I know HE wants me to share what HE said to me in our time together:
"If you, Heather, want to receive my blessings, then you, Heather, must demonstrate, and live out loud through your FAITH that I AM the GREAT I AM. I AM the LORD of your life, NO ONE else before ME. Through your obedience is how I will test your FAITH in ME. Trust ME with ALL your heart. LOVE ME by keeping MY words written in your heart. OBEY MY WORD, and speak boldly MY WORD. DO NOT SIN against ME, by speaking against MY WORD. I YOUR LOVING HEAVENLY FATHER will pour MY blessings over you and MY favor will be upon you! Because you, Heather are MY daughter, and I love you."
This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 1 John 5:2-3
" In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." James 2:17
"He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, "Love your neighbor as yourself." Luke 10:27
Dear Friends, I pray today that you will have the courage to seek HIM, and ask HIM to reveal to you the condition of your heart. I pray that you will know of HIS love for you, and how because of HIS love that you will be able to love others. I pray today that instead of becoming angry when someone does something to offend you that you will be able to extend the same grace that is bestowed upon you. I pray today that you too will know that HIS love NEVER fails for you or for me. HIS love is abundant and is enough for everyone and anyone, and is ENOUGH to cover ANY and ALL offenses. I pray today that you will know that HIS love is HIS gift to you, and HE is waiting to teach you all about how you can love people, just as HE loves you.
Your Sister in CHRIST JESUS ~
Heather
No comments:
Post a Comment