Saturday, March 19, 2011

Love, love, and more love

Dear God,
I confess that I sometimes don't believe You. You see, I get so caught up in me and my what I see with my incredibly nearsighted vision that I forget that You don't always see the way I do. And some days, more than others, my nearsightedness is just really off.

Today is one of those days.

So, instead of ending up way off course because I can't see straight, I'm going to close MY eyes and listen as You tell me what You see.
But now, this is what the LORD says -- he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: "Do not fear for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name , you are mine." (Isaiah 43:1) 
I created your inmost being; I knit you together in your mother's womb. Praise me because YOU are fearfully and wonderfully made. My works are wonderful, and you can know that full well. (Psalm 139:13-14 paraphrase)
Though the mountains  be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed. (Isaiah 54:10)
I love the way the Message puts that verse:
For even if the mountains walk away and the hills fall to pieces, My love won't walk away from you, my commitment of peace won't fall apart." The God who has compassion on you says so. (Isaiah 54:10)
That picture of God never walking away, His love never leaving--it's so valuable to me. I think that one of my biggest fears is that God will look at me, throw up His hands, and walk away...because I'm too much work. But He's not like that. The fact is He loves me. He loves me. He loves me. He even loves me a LOT. Oh, did I mention He loves me?

Unlike Katelyn's kind of love which vacillates and teeters depending on the state of her emotions, God's love is unchanging. Micah 7:18-19 are some of the most beautiful verses EVER, in my opinion (I say that about a lot of verses though....)
Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea. (Micah 7:18-19)
Another favorite:
I have loved you with an everlasting love, I have drawn you with lovingkindness. (Jeremiah 31:3)
And in the The Message:
God told them, "I've never quit loving you and never will. Expect love, love, and more love!" (Jeremiah 31:3)
"I've never quit loving you and never will. Expect love, love, and more love!"
It doesn't get much better than that.

1 comment:

Mama Mary said...

LOVE this- (ironic, i know) a few of those verses are ones God whispered to me when I was weeping in the shadow of His wing, feeling completely unlovable. Oh how He loves us!!! This is sooooo good Katelyn, our God is compassionate and loves us so much. We need to not forget that.