Living Loved

                God has had me and my family on an amazing journey in the past month or so.  He has been teaching us what is means to "Keep yourselves in the love of God," (Jude 21).  We have been learning that God has an incredibly, merciful, mind-blowing, love for us - a love that isn't dependent on how we act, but is the same yesterday, today and forever. So many people get saved (including myself) and immediately wonder, "How can I serve Jesus?" or "What's my ministry?" They fall into a life of "serving Jesus," when in reality, Jesus really wants us to love Him.  He doesn't want us to be obsessed with our ministry, but consumed with love for Him. 
                It's been really freeing for me, as I've come to realize that I don't have to "do" anything - everything has already been done.  Jesus did everything at the cross! Now, all He desires is that I would love Him with all my heart, soul, mind and strength (Mark 12:30).  I don't have to do anything?! No, Jesus did it all for you - He only wants you to rest in His love. 

My mom's theme verse for the past months has been Jude 21, "Keep yourselves in the love of God..." For a long time I've wondered what that means, and now I know.  Jesus has shown me that He wants me to keep myself in His love - to meditate on God's love for me, to ponder His love for me, to praise Him for His love, to read about His love, to just rest in His love....Through different life experiences, (i.e. books, testimonies, family time, messages, the Bible, studying for a Bible lesson, etc) God has been revealing His love to me.  And friends, His love is one amazing thing!  Next time you go to the beach, or are even on a sandy road, stop for a second and pick up a handful of sand.  Then, try to pick up just one grain of sand, and think about this verse, "How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand..."  (Psalm 139:17-18)   

Just one of those grains of sand is one thought that God thinks about you! And the verse goes on to say that all of His thoughts toward you outnumber the sand on the seashore!  I know that's a common verse, however, for me, that was a huge revelation!  God really loves me!
                As I said before, it's been so freeing for me to realize that I don't have to do anything, except love Jesus.  For a long time, I struggled with knowing what my quiet times should look like - "How long should I pray for? Do I have to do hard, intercessory prayer every single day?  Do I have to read the Bible for at least fifteen minutes to be O.K. that day?  What if I'm not hearing anything when I'm being still, is it O.K. to move onto Bible reading?"   Questions like those would plague me as I tried to have my time with Jesus.  (Through the counsel of wise friends and family, I've come to understand, that that was Satan trying to distract me.)  I say it's freeing, because now, I know that I can go to have time with Jesus, and just be with Jesus.  "It's a friendship, not a formula," I heard someone say.  And once I heard that, a weight lifted off my shoulders!  You mean, I'm not sinning if I don't do twenty minutes of intercessory prayer every day?  NO! Praise the Lord!  "My beloved speaks and says to me: "Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away...Let me see your face, let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely."  (Song of Solomon 2:10, 14) 

 

Jesus loves me, and wants my love in return.  He wants my heart - all of my love, thoughts, dreams, desires, time, etc, to be wrapped up in Him. For now, He has called me to continually "Come" into His presence and rest in His amazing love for me.  And honestly, I'm learning, that there is no more satisfying, fulfilling, peaceful, joyful place to be.

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