John 3:16-17
“This is how much God loved the
world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that
no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole
and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son
merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He
came to help, to put the world right again.
Scripture
quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002
by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs,
CO. All rights reserved.
There are countless examples
in the news media of people who go to great lengths to expose a wrong…to
point a finger at someone who is misbehaving or to spotlight how bad a
situation has become. But one of the most ridiculous cases of this
lately has been the Michigan state representative who sent out a fake
e-mail in which he accused himself of having an encounter with a male
prostitute. Why on earth would he do this? He said he was
trying to cover up an actual affair that he was having with a fellow
state representative (female). The representative also alleged that
some of his co-workers were conspiring to expose his affair, so he
created this elaborate – and ridiculous – ruse to divert attention!
This
guy went to an awful lot of trouble just to try and cover his tracks.
And he used one of the oldest tricks in the book…he tried to shine a
spotlight on someone or something else in order to hide his own
mistakes.
We serve a God who would never conspire to expose our
sins to the world…much less create a “cover” to redirect attention or
distract the attention of others. God does not play such games…and
aren’t we glad?! God loves us so much that He sent Jesus Christ to live
among us, to teach us and serve as the perfect example…then suffer,
pour out His flesh and blood for us…and ultimately, to die for us. God
welcomed Jesus back to Heaven, where He waits for each of us who give
our hearts to Him. There was nothing sneaky or sinister in any of this.
There were no plots to expose our failures and our flaws…no finger
pointing of any kind. This was all done for one reason…incredible,
amazing, incomprehensible, unconditional LOVE.
Until you
understand that the message we need to hear is not one of fear and
obligation, but rather one of abiding love, you will never truly “get”
what it means to have a relationship with God. I know…because I
operated from a vantage point of fear and dread for far too many years.
God does not want to punish us…He wants to love us…and everything He
does for us comes from this context. Until we understand this, we won’t
really understand anything about Christian faith.
Some of us are
busy trying to “cover our tracks.” We are hiding from God, and
creating elaborate – and sometimes ridiculous - ruses and
diversions…pointing our finger at the other guy and hoping that God will
focus on him/her instead of us. This is a silly game…and we need to
stop. God loves ALL of us…His desire is that we embrace Jesus and turn
to Him. His grand design for sending Jesus was to rescue us, not to
condemn. And are we ever grateful…or at least, we should be!
Will
you take some time today to talk to God about the vantage point from
which you are operating? If your relationship with God is based in fear
and guilt, won’t you ask Him to help you shift to an attitude of
serving out of love and gratitude? If you are wasting time and energy
creating distractions and diversions to try and be something or someone
you aren’t – or to hide from God - won’t you pull back the veil today
and “come clean?” God already knows everything…but He wants you to
acknowledge this and stand before Him…warts and all. Are you ready to
get real with God? Is today “the day?”
©2015 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label how much God loves us. Show all posts
Showing posts with label how much God loves us. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for March 7, 2015
Job 12:7-10
If you want to learn,
then go and ask
the wild animals and the birds,
the flowers and the fish.
Any of them can tell you
what the Lord has done.
Every living creature
is in the hands of God.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Yesterday, Greg and I had to say “Goodbye” to our beloved tuxedo cat, Lucy. We were blessed to be her “humans” for almost 16 years…having acquired her and her litter mate, Mabel – a calico – in April 1999. Based on papers we received at the local animal shelter, we “counted backward” and declared their birthday to be March 1st.
We knew that Lucy had been in declining health in recent months. The once plump cat with the beautiful sleek and shiny coat of LONG black and white hair had become a virtual skeleton covered in a dull blanket of fur. Yet she ate well, drank lots of water, purred and delighted in our affection – and she even chased a bird that made its way inside our house just two nights before she died. (She actually caught the bird briefly…but without front claws, she could not contain it in her grip.)
Greg and I had prayed over and over that Lucy would just slip away from us – that we would awaken one morning and find her “sleeping with the angels”. She and Mabel never really acclimated to humans – other than us – and all of these years, we have kept them completely indoors and fairly isolated. They have not visited a veterinary clinic since they were spayed as kittens. We did not want to have to put either of them through the trauma of a final visit to a vet for euthanasia. So we prayed for God to spare them – and us – this situation. And in Lucy’s case at least, He did just that.
We sat with our precious “baby” all through the night as she struggled through the stages of death. We made her a pallet in the floor atop her heating pad (yes, our cats have “pet heating pads”) – and we lay beside her and stroked her as she steadily grew weaker. We prayed over her…and we thanked God that - in the scheme of things - He allowed her such a peaceful passing. And shortly after noon yesterday, her breaths slowed…and then the angels came for her.
If you think that God doesn’t care about animals and our beloved pets…read this scripture passage from Job again. And if you think that a God who cares so much for animals of all sizes and species doesn’t care as much – or more – for you, then hear the words of Matthew 10:29-31…”Aren’t two sparrows sold for only a penny? But your Father knows when any one of them falls to the ground. Even the hairs on your head are counted. So don’t be afraid! You are worth much more than many sparrows.”
As gut-wrenching as these last few days have been for us, we have felt God’s presence. We know that there is a place for animals in heaven…and that SOME DAY, we will see our precious tuxedo cat and our other beloved pets once again. We know that we serve a God who is amazing, almighty, powerful…and compassionate…a God who loves two lowly sparrows – and dearly-loved kitty cats - and cares just as deeply about what happens to them as He does to us. We know that God will sustain us - that He will fill the empty places in our hearts with His peace…and flood our thoughts with happy memories of the hundreds of days we enjoyed with this furry feline.
Don’t wait for a crisis to happen before you call on God…make Him a part of your life NOW, so that He is “at the ready” for whatever you encounter in life. We are so glad that God was with us…that He IS with us…and we know that He has safely guided our Lucy over the “Rainbow Bridge” and into His loving care forever and ever. He is sustaining us and filling us with hope and courage until we see her again.
The God who can comfort us in the loss of our pet can also meet any and all of your needs. Our God can do ANYTHING! I cannot imagine surviving without Him. And I’m so glad that I don’t have to try. God is with us…today…tomorrow…and always. Do you feel His presence? Have you asked Him to come near and be with you? Isn’t it about time that you did?
©2015 Debbie Robus
If you want to learn,
then go and ask
the wild animals and the birds,
the flowers and the fish.
Any of them can tell you
what the Lord has done.
Every living creature
is in the hands of God.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Yesterday, Greg and I had to say “Goodbye” to our beloved tuxedo cat, Lucy. We were blessed to be her “humans” for almost 16 years…having acquired her and her litter mate, Mabel – a calico – in April 1999. Based on papers we received at the local animal shelter, we “counted backward” and declared their birthday to be March 1st.
We knew that Lucy had been in declining health in recent months. The once plump cat with the beautiful sleek and shiny coat of LONG black and white hair had become a virtual skeleton covered in a dull blanket of fur. Yet she ate well, drank lots of water, purred and delighted in our affection – and she even chased a bird that made its way inside our house just two nights before she died. (She actually caught the bird briefly…but without front claws, she could not contain it in her grip.)
Greg and I had prayed over and over that Lucy would just slip away from us – that we would awaken one morning and find her “sleeping with the angels”. She and Mabel never really acclimated to humans – other than us – and all of these years, we have kept them completely indoors and fairly isolated. They have not visited a veterinary clinic since they were spayed as kittens. We did not want to have to put either of them through the trauma of a final visit to a vet for euthanasia. So we prayed for God to spare them – and us – this situation. And in Lucy’s case at least, He did just that.
We sat with our precious “baby” all through the night as she struggled through the stages of death. We made her a pallet in the floor atop her heating pad (yes, our cats have “pet heating pads”) – and we lay beside her and stroked her as she steadily grew weaker. We prayed over her…and we thanked God that - in the scheme of things - He allowed her such a peaceful passing. And shortly after noon yesterday, her breaths slowed…and then the angels came for her.
If you think that God doesn’t care about animals and our beloved pets…read this scripture passage from Job again. And if you think that a God who cares so much for animals of all sizes and species doesn’t care as much – or more – for you, then hear the words of Matthew 10:29-31…”Aren’t two sparrows sold for only a penny? But your Father knows when any one of them falls to the ground. Even the hairs on your head are counted. So don’t be afraid! You are worth much more than many sparrows.”
As gut-wrenching as these last few days have been for us, we have felt God’s presence. We know that there is a place for animals in heaven…and that SOME DAY, we will see our precious tuxedo cat and our other beloved pets once again. We know that we serve a God who is amazing, almighty, powerful…and compassionate…a God who loves two lowly sparrows – and dearly-loved kitty cats - and cares just as deeply about what happens to them as He does to us. We know that God will sustain us - that He will fill the empty places in our hearts with His peace…and flood our thoughts with happy memories of the hundreds of days we enjoyed with this furry feline.
Don’t wait for a crisis to happen before you call on God…make Him a part of your life NOW, so that He is “at the ready” for whatever you encounter in life. We are so glad that God was with us…that He IS with us…and we know that He has safely guided our Lucy over the “Rainbow Bridge” and into His loving care forever and ever. He is sustaining us and filling us with hope and courage until we see her again.
The God who can comfort us in the loss of our pet can also meet any and all of your needs. Our God can do ANYTHING! I cannot imagine surviving without Him. And I’m so glad that I don’t have to try. God is with us…today…tomorrow…and always. Do you feel His presence? Have you asked Him to come near and be with you? Isn’t it about time that you did?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for February 13, 2015
Genesis 1:1-2
First this: God created the Heavens and Earth—all you see, all you don’t see. Earth was a soup of nothingness, a bottomless emptiness, an inky blackness. God’s Spirit brooded like a bird above the watery abyss.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Last night, Timothy played for more than an hour with a box of mis-matched Legos® that I picked up several years ago at a yard sale. Included in the box were little instruction booklets on how to construct quite a few objects. The trouble is…this “bargain” assortment of pieces does not include everything necessary to construct even one of those things. That did not stop Timothy from settling on a helicopter and asking, “Can you make this for me?”
He patiently showed me the steps in the booklet. ”We need this…and then this…” he noted, pointing to the photos and the required pieces. Some we found in the convoluted contents of the box…others we did not. After almost an hour of digging and “creative modification,” we had a passable helicopter. We stared into the “abyss” of that box of Legos® …and yes, we brooded a bit. But we were determined - I was determined - to create SOMETHING that would make this little boy happy… and make me happy in the process.
God has always cared about us. Even when He stared into the black abyss of nothingness that would become the earth, He envisioned a creation. Would it be perfect? Absolutely not…and God knew that! But He longed to see us anyway…to behold our smiling faces and share in our lives – the good, the bad, and the ugly. He was determined to do whatever He needed to make this happen, because He loves us so dearly.
You probably have some understanding of what it means to love someone so much that you want to please them…to see their smile and share in their joy and well-being. Now multiply that times a zillion…and you still don’t get how much God loves us…how deeply He desires great things for us. He started with nothing…an inky blackness…a watery abyss…and He created our world – and us. And He is here with us now, wherever – and in whatever condition we may find ourselves. Don’t you feel His presence?!
©2015 Debbie Robus
First this: God created the Heavens and Earth—all you see, all you don’t see. Earth was a soup of nothingness, a bottomless emptiness, an inky blackness. God’s Spirit brooded like a bird above the watery abyss.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Last night, Timothy played for more than an hour with a box of mis-matched Legos® that I picked up several years ago at a yard sale. Included in the box were little instruction booklets on how to construct quite a few objects. The trouble is…this “bargain” assortment of pieces does not include everything necessary to construct even one of those things. That did not stop Timothy from settling on a helicopter and asking, “Can you make this for me?”
He patiently showed me the steps in the booklet. ”We need this…and then this…” he noted, pointing to the photos and the required pieces. Some we found in the convoluted contents of the box…others we did not. After almost an hour of digging and “creative modification,” we had a passable helicopter. We stared into the “abyss” of that box of Legos® …and yes, we brooded a bit. But we were determined - I was determined - to create SOMETHING that would make this little boy happy… and make me happy in the process.
God has always cared about us. Even when He stared into the black abyss of nothingness that would become the earth, He envisioned a creation. Would it be perfect? Absolutely not…and God knew that! But He longed to see us anyway…to behold our smiling faces and share in our lives – the good, the bad, and the ugly. He was determined to do whatever He needed to make this happen, because He loves us so dearly.
You probably have some understanding of what it means to love someone so much that you want to please them…to see their smile and share in their joy and well-being. Now multiply that times a zillion…and you still don’t get how much God loves us…how deeply He desires great things for us. He started with nothing…an inky blackness…a watery abyss…and He created our world – and us. And He is here with us now, wherever – and in whatever condition we may find ourselves. Don’t you feel His presence?!
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for August 31, 2014
Psalm 103:12
How far has the Lord taken
our sins from us?
Farther than the distance
from east to west!
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
When I strapped Timothy into his car seat after church today, he said, “Momma says when we come home, we need to have a good attitude...forever and ever!” We took the children home after lunch, and Greg and I laughed that my niece had probably told them to come home with a good attitude, and Timothy asked her “for how long?”...hence, the “forever and ever” comment!
I think sometimes, we ask a version of this same question with regard to the grace, mercy, forgiveness and love of God...”LORD, how long will you love me? Father, how many times will you forgive my sins? Is my name really written in the Lamb’s Book of Life just because I surrendered my heart to Jesus and accepted His gift of salvation?” And the answer comes back over and again...”as far as east is to west...that’s how far I’ve taken your sins. This is how much I love you...this is the depth and breadth of My grace and compassion for you as one of My children.”
We need to let this soak in a while. We need to really stop and think about how much God loves us...how much He gives us...all that has been sacrificed on our behalf, and just how vast His care for us really is. Honestly, the magnitude and extent of God’s mercy over us is astounding...incomprehensible...beyond all that we can ever fully understand – but incredibly unending, all the same.
Now here’s a question for us to consider...how is OUR attitude in return? Do we behave in a way that respects these gifts? Do we honor God’s commitment to us with a reciprocal dedication – or the best that we can possibly muster? Do we reflect God’s extraordinary grace, mercy and forgiveness in our daily living...and in how we interact with others? Do we model a Christian discipleship that reflects a love of Christ for His church so great that it scatters sins farther than the distance from east to west? Isn’t it time we did?
Will this be the day that you develop a “good attitude forever and ever”...one that truly displays God’s handiwork in your life each and every minute? How far HAS the Lord taken your sins from you? Is this reflected in your life as a Christian? Don’t you think it should be?
©2014 Debbie Robus
How far has the Lord taken
our sins from us?
Farther than the distance
from east to west!
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
When I strapped Timothy into his car seat after church today, he said, “Momma says when we come home, we need to have a good attitude...forever and ever!” We took the children home after lunch, and Greg and I laughed that my niece had probably told them to come home with a good attitude, and Timothy asked her “for how long?”...hence, the “forever and ever” comment!
I think sometimes, we ask a version of this same question with regard to the grace, mercy, forgiveness and love of God...”LORD, how long will you love me? Father, how many times will you forgive my sins? Is my name really written in the Lamb’s Book of Life just because I surrendered my heart to Jesus and accepted His gift of salvation?” And the answer comes back over and again...”as far as east is to west...that’s how far I’ve taken your sins. This is how much I love you...this is the depth and breadth of My grace and compassion for you as one of My children.”
We need to let this soak in a while. We need to really stop and think about how much God loves us...how much He gives us...all that has been sacrificed on our behalf, and just how vast His care for us really is. Honestly, the magnitude and extent of God’s mercy over us is astounding...incomprehensible...beyond all that we can ever fully understand – but incredibly unending, all the same.
Now here’s a question for us to consider...how is OUR attitude in return? Do we behave in a way that respects these gifts? Do we honor God’s commitment to us with a reciprocal dedication – or the best that we can possibly muster? Do we reflect God’s extraordinary grace, mercy and forgiveness in our daily living...and in how we interact with others? Do we model a Christian discipleship that reflects a love of Christ for His church so great that it scatters sins farther than the distance from east to west? Isn’t it time we did?
Will this be the day that you develop a “good attitude forever and ever”...one that truly displays God’s handiwork in your life each and every minute? How far HAS the Lord taken your sins from you? Is this reflected in your life as a Christian? Don’t you think it should be?
©2014 Debbie Robus
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