If the Lord had not been my help, my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence. When I thought, "My foot slips," Your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up. When the cares of my heart are many, Your consolations cheer my soul. (Verses 17-19)
The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save. He will rejoice over you with gladness. He will quiet you by His love. He will exult over you with loud singing. Zephaniah 3
How do you see God? Is He wrathful and distant? Is He the great Rule Giver in the skies waiting with a rod of punishment for you to make a mistake so he can spank you? Maybe He's apathetic. Just sits up there on His throne and watches it all come down however we choose. Does He rant and rave, stomping all over heaven like a madman, throwing down lightning bolts and stirring up earthquakes to get our attention? Who is this God to Whom you pray?
These verses should break many of the paradigms we've built about how God wants to relate to us. A friend told me the other day as we prayed together she saw a picture in her mind of God smiling at me. Pleased with me. Immediate tears welled up in my eyes. I don't always think about my Father actually smiling at me. Do you? The thought was so tender it broke through to a place that needed watering in me. I sat with the idea for a bit after we hung up. I wanted to feel that for a while. Marinate in it. My Father is glad over me. Shushing my hurts as He loves on me. Sings loud songs over me exulting in our relationship! Oh, how He loves me. I forget.
I've heard people say there are certain things they don't take to God because He's too busy for all but the most important decisions or catastrophes of life. But that isn't what the Father thinks about His kids. I remember when Heather, our firstborn, was put into my arms. I thought I could never love another human being as I loved her. Then I held Vanessa. There was so much room to love her just the same. Seven years later, Will proved my love could stretch unconditionally and exponentially to all my children. No favorites. Joy in each of their diverse personalities. Blessing in each life. Oh, how I love them! How I cheer them on with loud "Ole's." They are mine. I have shushed them on a thousand tearful days. Picked them up when they've fallen. Cried with them when they've failed. Beamed with pride at their successes. How could our Father do less? Room upon room, never empty, never full, for us in His heart. Never too busy, never preoccupied with more important stuff. Our God is attentive to us as a mother to her child.
Perhaps we think God's too busy because we are. Flitting to and fro to work. Then taxiing our kids to lessons and practice fields. Throw on dinner then homework. Stick the kids in the shower then scoot them into bed to do it all again tomorrow. Those who decide to have children. We've thrown so many of them away since 1973, maybe we think God throws us away, too. Some of us He simply doesn't want, maybe. Fathers leave. Or mothers. We think our heavenly Parent looks like our earthly ones. Some of us think we're too far gone. Our disobedience has taken us to a comfortable country. Coming home would be too long a trip. A long way back. These verses break every preconceived idea you have about the Father's love. He's absolutely, unashamedly, unconditionally, inexhaustibly crazy about us. No matter what! If we are His children by our faith in Jesus Christ, we are exulted over, beamed at, rescued, comforted and consoled. Our Father is never too busy...sometimes we are...for us. In fact, He's always in the middle of what I'm about. Today and every day--in the midst. Ready to act on my behalf in whatever way I need it. He's a very hands-on Abba.
Sit for a minute today and think about His love. Give our Father the chance to pour it over you like anointing oil. Knowing in whatever circumstance you find yourself today, He is mighty to save. Without Him we'd live in a silent land--a hell on earth. Vacuous and arid. But we are His through Christ to enjoy the raucous laughter of family, the heady joy of parental praise, the soothing kiss of a loving Father and the lullaby of His love.
The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save. He will rejoice over you with gladness. He will quiet you by His love. He will exult over you with loud singing. Zephaniah 3
How do you see God? Is He wrathful and distant? Is He the great Rule Giver in the skies waiting with a rod of punishment for you to make a mistake so he can spank you? Maybe He's apathetic. Just sits up there on His throne and watches it all come down however we choose. Does He rant and rave, stomping all over heaven like a madman, throwing down lightning bolts and stirring up earthquakes to get our attention? Who is this God to Whom you pray?
These verses should break many of the paradigms we've built about how God wants to relate to us. A friend told me the other day as we prayed together she saw a picture in her mind of God smiling at me. Pleased with me. Immediate tears welled up in my eyes. I don't always think about my Father actually smiling at me. Do you? The thought was so tender it broke through to a place that needed watering in me. I sat with the idea for a bit after we hung up. I wanted to feel that for a while. Marinate in it. My Father is glad over me. Shushing my hurts as He loves on me. Sings loud songs over me exulting in our relationship! Oh, how He loves me. I forget.
I've heard people say there are certain things they don't take to God because He's too busy for all but the most important decisions or catastrophes of life. But that isn't what the Father thinks about His kids. I remember when Heather, our firstborn, was put into my arms. I thought I could never love another human being as I loved her. Then I held Vanessa. There was so much room to love her just the same. Seven years later, Will proved my love could stretch unconditionally and exponentially to all my children. No favorites. Joy in each of their diverse personalities. Blessing in each life. Oh, how I love them! How I cheer them on with loud "Ole's." They are mine. I have shushed them on a thousand tearful days. Picked them up when they've fallen. Cried with them when they've failed. Beamed with pride at their successes. How could our Father do less? Room upon room, never empty, never full, for us in His heart. Never too busy, never preoccupied with more important stuff. Our God is attentive to us as a mother to her child.
Perhaps we think God's too busy because we are. Flitting to and fro to work. Then taxiing our kids to lessons and practice fields. Throw on dinner then homework. Stick the kids in the shower then scoot them into bed to do it all again tomorrow. Those who decide to have children. We've thrown so many of them away since 1973, maybe we think God throws us away, too. Some of us He simply doesn't want, maybe. Fathers leave. Or mothers. We think our heavenly Parent looks like our earthly ones. Some of us think we're too far gone. Our disobedience has taken us to a comfortable country. Coming home would be too long a trip. A long way back. These verses break every preconceived idea you have about the Father's love. He's absolutely, unashamedly, unconditionally, inexhaustibly crazy about us. No matter what! If we are His children by our faith in Jesus Christ, we are exulted over, beamed at, rescued, comforted and consoled. Our Father is never too busy...sometimes we are...for us. In fact, He's always in the middle of what I'm about. Today and every day--in the midst. Ready to act on my behalf in whatever way I need it. He's a very hands-on Abba.
Sit for a minute today and think about His love. Give our Father the chance to pour it over you like anointing oil. Knowing in whatever circumstance you find yourself today, He is mighty to save. Without Him we'd live in a silent land--a hell on earth. Vacuous and arid. But we are His through Christ to enjoy the raucous laughter of family, the heady joy of parental praise, the soothing kiss of a loving Father and the lullaby of His love.
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