Sometimes the simplest lessons are the most basic. It’s not the elaborate plots that cause us to stop and admire God’s work, it’s those short, momentary glimpses of Heaven that bring us to our knees. I was reminded of this just a short while ago when our pastor shared his life changing moment with God. For a couple months we had sat in awe of his sudden passion for life and Christ, his clear crystal understanding of his purpose and the openness of his shortcomings and doubts. He had invited the Holy Spirit into his life and he was as bright as an LED bulb. The scene had been set for the big unveiling of this life changing moment. In total humility, tears falling from his eyes, he stood there and said “God loves me.” For a moment I was shocked, I was expecting more. But then I watched how this depth of love had wiped out all his pride, removed any thoughts or desires to control his life, and I realized the power of those three simple words. This pure form of love has reformed sinners, brought down giants, and created kings out of murders.
We are all created with this longing to be loved. It is a love that only God can fill, but rarely do we open ourselves up to experience that love. We are always so sure we can handle thing on our own, we are just fine, I’m ok, I’ve got it… Until we humble ourselves to feel God’s love, we haven’t a clue what real love is. It’s not a mental or emotional love or even a spiritual love. It’s like a piece of us that has always been missing, it goes right to our hearts and reminds us that even though we don’t deserve to be loved, we are loved by God in a pure and unconditional manner. Because there are no secrets that love fills every inch of us. Until you experience it you don’t realize how life sustaining those three simple words can be, “he loves me.” Even when you have experienced it, it is so easy to let it slip through your fingers like water. I wish we could hold onto that moment without any effort, but it takes strength, convictions, and focus not to let it get away. I think in some ways its too big to hold.
Like water, love doesn’t have a color, an odor, or a taste, it can be solid one moment and evaporate the next. Yet without either life doesn’t exist. God loves us regardless of what we have done or not done, how we have loved, acted, or obeyed. This unconditional love, this grace, is like water freely given yet so hard to hold onto. Our independent nature, our culture, and our pride are slippery like water, clouding our judgment and telling us that our goals align with God. Before we even know what is happening we are on our own again, taking our own path, and traveling further away. How do we prevent this from happening, is there any hope? Of course there is, he’s called Christ. Go back to that moment you first experienced God’s love, humble yourself because you know you don’t deserve it, and hold onto that need. It’s that weakness that reminds us to constantly turn to God, to not rely on our own understanding, but in all things turn to God for answers.
Lord, I sell you short way too often. I only turn to you when everything else I have tried fails. I want you to be proud of me, so I try to come up with the answer on my own, but that’s not what you want. You want me to recognize and grasp my weakness, because only then will I need you. In all things, big and small, may I say “let’s pray about it.” Lord, may you control my every thought and move. May I grow dependent on you every step of the way. Lord, speak and I will obey. May I never lose track of your grace and might. Your blessings surround me, may I be constantly aware of your love. Lord, I am a sinner unworthy of your love, but you love me just the same and it moves me to my knees in prayer.
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