In the past few days I have been made aware afresh of Papa's love for me.
The awareness was triggered by the fourth through seventh verses of the second chapter of Ephesians.
"But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus, in order that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus."
He loves us so deeply!
As I reflected on this wonder I thought of how His blessings keep coming day after day. What He has done in me He enables me to keep a hold on; all of it!
He does it all. He supplies it all.
Whatever He asks of me - He supplies. He never asks something of me that He expects me to do on my own. It is all from and through His great riches that He has given to me!
Such love! Such grace!
I walked into the church service this morning with these thoughts alive in my heart and mind. Today we had a guest preacher and, at first, I was having a hard time paying close attention to what he was saying. He led up to his main point; forgiveness. It was the direction that he took from there that captured my attention.
The man asked what it took to really experience forgiveness. I think he really was asking what it takes for us to really sense that we need to receive forgiveness.
Don't we need to realize that what we did hurt another person? If we did something and it didn't affect anyone would it need forgiving?
At times, it might appear that no one else is affected, but God always is. Yet He is God and doesn't have the same feelings as us, does He? So He can just move on, right?
No, the Living God has feelings, deep emotions. All you have to do is read scripture and you will discover that to be true. Our God is a passionate God!
The speaker spoke of how God calls Himself our Husband or Father. These are very personal, intimate terms and certainly bring our relationship with Him into a different light. As Husband or Father He pursues us because He loves us and desires true intimacy with us. When we sin, we hurt Him. Imagine, asked the preacher, how God feels as Husband or Father, when we do something to hurt Him!
Now if we only view God as God, as the High and Lifted-up One; the Holy One and do not factor in Who, from His perspective, He is for us, then we aren't really going to get how deeply we cause Him pain.
The Cross reflects how deeply He loves us and how painful our sin is for Him. He, the Father, wants His rebellious children to come home. He, the Husband, desires a faithful wife. He is calling us in love to love Him back.
When we love someone we do not want to hurt them. When we do, which is inevitable, and we see them in pain, we repent of what we have done and plead forgiveness. When the one we wronged loves us they desire to forgive us and have the relationship restored.
We have all been hurt by others. Take a minute and think about the pain. Papa experiences that same pain.
Imagine that! We are able to cause our God pain. Only because He loves us so much!
What I find so amazing is that He longs for us to repent so He can offer us forgiveness.
Don't these truths cause you to go to your knees, first in repentance, then love, gratitude and awe?!
One day every knee will bow and every tongue proclaim Jesus is LORD!
By not waiting for that day to bend your knee to such a magnificent God, you get to enjoy Him, not only as your God and Savior, but your Papa; your intimate Friend!!
Yes, He certainly got my attention!
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