Perfect Love

Apache Lake, Arizona

Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love?

Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity,

or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger,

or threatened with death?

Romans 8:35 (NLT)

In this life we all experience numerous inconsistencies.  It seems that things are always going wrong.  Our friend calls it the "20% mess up factor."  Or maybe it seems like the 100% of Murphy's law, "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong."  Life is just like that.  It is so imperfect.  The people in our lives are inconsistent, too. One minute they may be kind and considerate, the next irritating and critical.  Even though we know this to be true, we often experience frustration when things go wrong or people let us down. For some reason, we still have the expectation that things should always go smoothly and we shouldn't be inconvenienced or slowed down by unexpected events.  Or on the other hand, we might develop a "poor me" attitude, always expecting the worst and feeling that we are an "accident ready to happen" at any moment. This kind of thinking leads to a sense of dread that leaves us feeling very insecure.

The good news is that Jesus has planned a better way for us to face the day.  Through our contact with him, we can be in a place undisturbed by the current state of affairs.  Our security and stability are not based on our circumstances or how we are treated, but by the utterly secure foundation of God's constant, unfailing and perfect love.  Nothing can come our way that can ever disturb the steady stream of God's love surrounding us. In the face of uncertainty and inconsistency he is unfailingly constant creating for us a haven of peace and security.

Lord, help us to tap into that steady stream of love that is constantly flowing towards us no matter what we are going through. 

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love—

indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 Romans 8:38-39 (NLT)

Thorns

His winnowing fork is in his hand, 

and he will clear his threshing floor,

gathering his wheat into the barn

and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

Matt 3:12 (NIV)

Our house was left vacant for 18 months.  During that time bats took over the patio, rats moved into the basement and the yard became overgrown with thorns and thistles. What a chore cleaning the house, getting rid of the critters and clearing all the brush and thorns to make the house habitable. 

Our lives are like unattended houses until Jesus moves in.  When he comes in, he begins the process of cleaning out all the debris, kicking out the rats and bats and clearing our yard of thorns and thistles.  We think of Jesus as a restorer, one who builds us up, but in order to do that work he has to be a destroyer removing from us the things that are useless, destructive and hurtful. 

Thank you for for being a consuming fire that thoroughly cleans our hearts of all the things that would harm or destroy.  

 The Lord, the Light of Israel, will be a fire; the Holy One will be a flame. He will devour the thorns and briers with fire.Isaiah 10:17 
"Our God is a consuming fire."

Heb 12:29 (NIV)

Reflection

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do,

because you are his dear children.

Live a life filled with love,

following the example of Christ.

Eph 5:1-2 (NLT)

As I look out at the sunrise, I see a unique configuration of mountain peaks in mirror image.  I have been intrigued by these mountains every since we began driving up here.  They remind me that, as mirror images of our father, we are reflectors of God's glory.  

Children naturally imitate their parents.  They are sensitive to every word, facial expression and tone. As we look to Jesus and become familiar with his spirit and his ways, we become sensitive and aware and are able to moderate our behavior moment by moment to reflect his loving character.  We become his representatives in every situation we find ourselves.

Lord, help us stay focused on you so that in every moment we may be like mirrors reflecting your glorious love.

But we all,

with open face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord,

are changed into the same image from glory to glory,

by the Spirit of the Lord.

2 Cor 3:18 (KJV)

Demolition

 Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.

Heb 12:2 (NLT)

Our new house is in complete disarray.  They tore out all of the flooring, tile & carpet creating a huge amount of noise, dust and debris.  What a mess!  It feels like my life is all out of order.  It helps to have a vision of what the house will look like when it is all finished.  If I didn’t have hope for the future, I couldn’t stand the mess.  

Jesus endured the pain and suffering of the cross because he had his eye on the end result - a beautiful house built of polished and precious stones.  We are those living stones and he is working on us (and doing some demolition) so that we might be suited for his house.  Sometimes the pain and disarray is hard to bear, but in the end we will rejoice in what God has built.  Because Jesus endured, he is now sitting down in a place of honor enjoying the fruits of his labor and experiencing the joy of creating a new home for his family.

Thank God George knows how to put the house back together.  I know some day we will enjoy the fruits of our labor.  It will be nice when everything is done and we finally have a place to sit down. 

You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house.

1 Peter 2:5 (NIV)

Weakness

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matt 5:3 (NIV)

God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

Matt 5:3 (NLT)

Recognizing our weakness is a blessing.  It opens the door to all the resources of God's kingdom.  As long as we rely on our own strength we are cut off from God's.  The Apostle Paul found this secret.  A man of breeding, accomplishment, education (Phil 2:4-6) and amazing visions (2 Cor 12:1-4), he realized that he could not boast about any of these things and concluded: "I am going to boast only about my weaknesses." (2 Cor 12:5).  He took pleasure in his weaknesses because they opened the door for God's strength.

Instead of putting ourselves down when we struggle and fail we should rejoice because we know that God will come in to supply the strength we need at that moment.  As soon as I acknowledge my weakness, I feel his strength.

Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Cor 12:9-10 (NLT)

Stormy Seas

I hear the tumult of the raging seas 

as your waves and surging tides sweep over me.

 But each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me, 

and through each night I sing his songs, 

praying to God who gives me life.

Psalms 42:7-8 (NLT)

In the face of so much financial uncertainty in the world, we can easily be overtaken by anxiety and fear.  We feel as if our little boat is being tossed back and forth on a violent and stormy sea.  Thank God, that at the height of the storm, his words provide an antidote and anchor for our souls.

His word is a source of daily hope and encouragement.  The scriptures stimulate our faith and bring us courage for each new day and hope for the future.  Faith, as an anchor for our soul, holds on to the solid rock below as the storm continues to rage.  No matter what happens, our powerful God, will provide for our needs in his time and his way.  He will never fail to help us.  David passionately cry’s out, “O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge.” (Psalms 62:8 NLT)

No matter how stormy the sea or how violently our little boat is being tossed about, we can anchor our soul on the solid rock.  Our anchor holds in God’s inner sanctuary.  Nothing on the stormy surface above can disturb the calm of the depths of his love.

And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement

as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled. 

Romans 15:4 (NLT)

Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can take new courage,

for we can hold on to his promise with confidence.  

This confidence is like a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls.  

It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary.

Heb 6:19 (NLT)

Harmony

Pelicans over Crystal Cove, Newport Coast, CA

 

So let us then definitely aim for and eagerly pursue 

what makes for harmony and for mutual upbuilding,

edification and development of one another.  

Romans 14:19 (AMP)

May God who gives this patience and encouragement,

help you live in complete harmony with each other –

each with the attitude of Christ Jesus toward the other.

Romans 15:5 (NLT)

One of the many things I enjoy about the beach is watching the Pelicans soaring over the water.  Yesterday, a large group hovered over my head for sometime seemingly having a conference to decide who was going to be the leader this time. Then they took off, one out ahead and the others falling into a V behind. 

Watching these creatures of the sky working together in harmony reminds me of the kind of life God has in mind for us. Harmony is created only by each one of us having the attitude of Christ who did not seek to please himself, but bore all of our weaknesses and failings. We, also, are called upon to accept each other with patient endurance.

We are only human and often fall into doubts and fears.  The scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for the fulfillment of his perfect ways, but right now we are faced with an imperfect world and we are imperfect people who need the support and encouragement of others as we deal with all of our shortcomings, faults, weaknesses, doubts and fears.  

Since our natural inclination is to correct or to judge and our patience often runs thin, we must call on him for we cannot manufacture the attitude of Christ in our own strength.  Realizing that only God has enough wisdom and understanding to judge, our job is only to accept and encourage.  It comes only from his life within us.

So accept each other as Christ has accepted you.  Romans15:7 (NLT)

Let each one of us make it a practice to please his neighbor

for his good and for his true welfare,

to edify him, to strengthen him and build him up spiritually.

Romans 15:2 (AMP)