Sometimes we are thankful for the blessings He gives us, and sometimes we are thankful for His word...or other "things." But I think it's an extremely intimate thing when you are in a situation where you are truly just thankful for Him. Right now, I'm right there.
This is our God:
"The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever;
he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us."
He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever;
he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us."
Psalm 103:9-12
I'm at a place in my life, where I am much more apt to err on grace rather than judgment. I think early in my faith I may have looked at myself and thought "she's just spiritually mediocre." Funny isn't it? I would have probably judged myself as weak...and yet today...I can honestly say that the Lord has inscribed His word upon my heart so powerfully and passionately. I think the "younger" me would not like the "older" me. Yet, I am at a place where pleasing people is not my priority...while I will do my best to live at peace with all men but I will boldly profess that my hope, my confidence, my trust, my peace, my love, it's all from Christ.
I am awed by the truth that the Lord Himself does not throw things up in our faces, He reminds us NOT of our failures and sins....but the blood of our Redeemer. All too often we choose to dwell on the sins we've committed or the past failures or even the moments we've not obeyed the Lord and quenched the Spirit in our lives....and yet our gracious God...our compassionate God ever mindful of our sinful state, continues to draw us to Calvary. Showing us the price is paid, the redemption is complete. He has absolutely paid the price. Nothing more can be offered. Our only response is just humble submission to His call on our lives.
Everyday there are tons of little things that threaten to pull us away from doing the right thing, doing what God has called each of us to do. God wants us to be willing to do the right thing. And by right thing, I mean....the thing He wants us to do, not necessarily what society says is right. Situations, circumstances, our very own minds....all these things can seemingly have so much power...until we recognize and submit to the Lord...and ask Him for the power and strength to walk through each one in a way that does honor Him. And guess what? Even though you may not think you said all you should, or did all you could....the Lord is in charge and He's got it, from start to finish.
"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1
"But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7
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