God & Romance?

Yes...I did say God...AND Romance! I know it's not a common thought to connect the God of this universe with romance. Yet the Bible is full of love stories...all encompassing a main story where God is constantly pursuing a flawed people...you and me! And even though we push him away with our selfishness, wrong desires, and sin, He never quits pursuing.

"But then I will win her back once again. I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her there. I will return her vineyards to her and transform the Valley of Trouble into a gateway of hope. She will give herself to me there, as she did long ago when she was young, when I freed her from her captivity in Egypt. When that day comes,” says the Lord, “you will call me ‘my husband’ instead of ‘my master.’ O Israel, I will wipe the many names of Baal from your lips, and you will never mention them again. On that day I will make a covenant with all the wild animals and the birds of the sky and the animals that scurry along the ground so they will not harm you. I will remove all weapons of war from the land, all swords and bows, so you can live unafraid in peace and safety. I will make you my wife forever, showing you righteousness and justice, unfailing love and compassion. I will be faithful to you and make you mine, and you will finally know me as the Lord. “In that day, I will answer,” says the Lord. “I will answer the sky as it pleads for clouds. And the sky will answer the earth with rain. Then the earth will answer the thirsty cries of the grain, the grapevines, and the olive trees. And they in turn will answer, ‘Jezreel’—‘God plants!’ At that time I will plant a crop of Israelites and raise them for myself. I will show love to those I called ‘Not loved.’ And to those I called ‘Not my people,’ I will say, ‘Now you are my people.’ And they will reply, ‘You are our God!’” ~Hosea 2:14-23

How do I know God romances me? (This is unique to each person)

Just to name a few of the ways...

Sunrises

Sunsets

Rainbows on a stormy afternoon

Green grass at the onset of spring

Smells of spring

Love for music

Flower's delicate scents

Love of cooking and baking

Laughter

Ocean waves

Feel of soft sand on my feet

Appreciation of art and photography

I could go on and on, but you get my point. And how I know these romantic gifts come from the Lord is they are unique to my heart. Everyone has their different loves, and the Lord uses them to pursue your heart! Wow! Loving God is more than just obedience and regimen, it's about falling passionately in love with the God who created you and who desires to know you more intimately.

A lot of people say being a Christian can be boring...well, tell me how this exciting love story can be boring??!!! He has so much to give us, but we have to be willing to risk a relationship with Him to receive! Are you?

How do you...

So clean house! Make a clean sweep of malice and pretense, envy and hurtful talk. You've had a taste of God. Now, like infants at the breast, drink deep of God's pure kindness. Then you'll grow up mature and whole in God. ~1 Peter 2:1,2 (The Message)

Six stoneware water pots were there, used by the Jews for ritual washings. Each held twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus ordered the servants, "Fill the pots with water." And they filled them to the brim. ~John 2:6 (The Message)

Submit my dreams and pursuits completely to Him. He only wants the best for me. He knows where I've been, and He more importantly knows the days ahead of me. I'm reminded of the story from Deuteronomy when the Israelites were so anxious to preview the promised land. They decided to send scouts out to evaluate this good land the Lord had been saving for them. Some scouts reported all the goodness of the land, some scouts reported the giants. The Israelites were afraid of fighting the giants. Yet the Lord wasn't! How much did they take out the joy of this new land! How much of God's might and glory would they have seen had they walked by faith and not fear?! I choose today to walk by faith, knowing He is in control of my life, and I have nothing to fear.

Love...

"I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey me, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father and remain in his love. I have told you this so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! I command you to love each other in the same way that I love you. And here is how to measure it--the greatest love is shown when people lay down their lives for their friends..." ~John 15:9-13

Isn't it amazing to think that Jesus loves us as much as the Father loves him?! Yet, we have to continually stay in His arms. This is the hard thing...the world pulls on us so tightly, while the Lord allows us to let go of His hand. Yet how much does that show us that God loves magnificently that He gives us a choice?! And we also choose to love the world. Why is it easier sometimes to love the world more than God?

Passion

Passion is the degree of difficulty we are willing to endure to reach the goal. ~Riter

Faith

I've been feeling a little parched in my faith life lately...feeling like the Lord is far away. To be precise though, that I'm far away from Him. I decided to delve into a study called Thirsty and the first day has already challenged me.

Hebrews 11:6. "Without faith it is impossible to please God, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who earnestly seek Him."

Wow...it is impossible to please God without faith?! You mean if I feed the hungry and give money to the poor and have no faith, the Lord doesn't care? That's pretty powerful...and humbling to think the Lord is completely concerned with our faith. I must believe who He is. The thing is, I can't believe who He is, until I learn about him. I have to be honest...I don't always feel like spending time reading the word. And yet, this scripture tells me I need to know who He is. How else do I do that...except to devote time with Him.

It's always a relationship. Relationships are hard even when they're good. I realize in my marriage that I love and adore my husband, but it requires more than saying I love him. It requires me to know him, to spend time with him, to grow with him. If not, we're not going to be happy in our marriage, and we're definitely not going to grow together.

First Time

I thought this would be a good chronicle for my life...you know, a daily log of joys, struggles, and just plain life. When I recollect times in my past, I see how much I can learn from them, good and bad. And I want to have that knowledge ever with me.

Yesterday I watched Oprah...I've kinda gotten over my addiction to Oprah, but I was intrigued by the title, "The Secret". In it, there were a bunch of gurus discussing our personal energy and its relation to the universe. I didn't want to absorb all the new-age idiosyncrasies; yet, there were some points that interested me. First of all, what we put out in the universe is what we get back. I can see that a lot. Times when I'm feeling ooky, going to the grocery store in tattered jeans and a ballcap, I can't say I feel like walking the red carpet. The energy I evoke to other people bounces back. On the other hand when I'm feeling good, having a skinny day and wearing a cute outfit, I see different reflections. Hmmm...kinda interesting.

Anyway-it all put me in an introspective mood...hence the beginning of my own blog. I know that I want to live a full life...a life I can look back on and think, "Man, I got my money's worth out of that one!" Really though, it's not my money, it's the Lord's. What do I do everyday that makes the Lord think, "Man, that creation was worthwhile." Yeah, I know the Lord loves me unconditionally; but maybe it's the people-pleaser in me that wants to make the Lord proud. Or at least not embarrassed. I pray this day be a new day of truly living...living fully. That's why Jesus came...to give us a full life. I hope he feels like his trip to earth was worth it, and I want to make sure at least in this life, it was.