March 14, 2014
Whew - finally... feels like the past two days have been whirlwinds of activity and it is good to finally sit and find time to be - with You.
Life is so full of so many "needs" - makes me think of Martha and Mary and You saying "only one thing is needed - and she has chosen the better part. It shall not be taken away from her." Today with the sun streaming in the window and Apple Rose playing next to me - it makes me wonder why we fill up our days with anything other than basking in the beauty of Your Creation and rejoicing in life. I think work is good for our souls - but it was meant to be in season and collaborative - and a part of bearing fruit (and not just physical fruit) in our lives. How different Eden and what You had intended must have looked from where we are today. Suddenly all the pastoral fantasies and utopias look more realistic and reasonable in that context than all the toil and silliness of what we work at today.
Psalm 106
Reading the account of the Israelite nation - how many times they failed in their covenant with You - how many times You remained faithful in Your covenant with them - never leaving them - never forsaking them - though You brought terrible consequences down upon their heads and rebuked them in Your love... In all those ways I am so reminded of my walk with You. How quickly and easily I forget Your deliverance - doubt Your providence - abandon our relationship for other more enticing/pressing/"sensible" things or beliefs - distractions.
Yet no matter how many times - no matter that I brought it upon myself -
"Nevertheless - you look upon my distress,
when you hear my cry.
For my sake You remember Your covenant,
and relent according to the abundance of Your steadfast love."
What an incredible promise of love. I think often I take the absoluteness of Your love so for granted in my life. I hear it and feel it like sometimes it's like a mom saying to her kid "I love you" or sometimes something I will just say to Jason - I say it without really hearing what I'm saying or what they're saying...
But You mean it every time You say it - fully aware of what it cost You - still costs You - never once forgetting or being unaware of what it means for You to love me - for You to love us.
Nevertheless - no matter what - You hear us when we cry out - even if we desrve where we are - even if You put us there - You hear us and remember - choose - Your love for us. No matter how many times - or how royally we screw up.
That is a beautiful and wonderful gift... Love bought at incredible sacrifice... at a price I didn't pay - but You paid so that You could love me and I could once again love You.
Thank You Father - today a simple prayer of gratitude for your great love for us.
Thank You Lord. Amen and Amen and Amen.
