[crazy love]

[one fifty six] 2.20.11

Me and Weider, sitting in the swing, k-i-s-s-i-n-g!!

"The fact is, I need God to help me love God. And if I need His help to love Him, a perfect being, I definitely need His help to love other fault filled humans. Something mysterious, even supernatural must happen in order for genuine love for God to grow in our hearts. The Holy Spirit has to move in our lives.

It is a remarkable cycle: Our prayers for more love result in love, which naturally causes us to pray more, which results in more love...

Imagine going for a run while eating a box of Twinkies. Besides being self-defeating and sideache inducing, it would also be near impossible-you would have to stop running in order to eat the Twinkies.

In the same way, you have to stop loving and pursuing Christ in order to sin. When you are pursuing love, running towards Christ, you do not have opportunity to wonder, "Am I doing this right?" or, "Did I serve enough this week?" When you are running toward Christ, you are freed up to serve, love, and give thanks without guilt, worry, or fear. As long as you are running, you are safe.

But running is exhausting-if, that is, we are running from sin or guilt, out of fear. (Or if we haven't run in a while) However, if we train ourselves to run toward our Refuge, toward Love, we are free-just as we are called to be.

As we begin to focus more on Christ, loving Him and others becomes more natural. As long as we are pursuing Him, we are satisfied in Him. It is when we stop actively loving Him that we find ourselves restless and gravitating toward other means of fulfillment.

When I read the Psalms, I witness an extreme intimacy that at times seem unattainable. I have to remind myself constantly that the psalms were written by people just like me. They enjoyed closeness with God that you and I can experience. We should be communicating these words to Him:

I am like a weaned child with its mother;

like a weaned child I am content.  (Psalm 131:2)

You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound. I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety. (Psalm 4:7-8)

You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. (Psalm 16:11)

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song. (Psalm 28:7)

Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. (Psalm 90:14)

Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart. (Psalm 119:11)

I don't want to make it sound deceptively easy; the psalms are filled with cries of pain:

Hear my prayer, O Lord, listen to my cry for help; be not deaf to my weeping. (Ps. 39:12)

Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord; O Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. (Ps. 130:1-20) 

Jesus said, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33) Life isn't perfect when you follow Christ wholeheartedly; you will have trouble, Jesus says-it is pretty much guaranteed.

"My lips will praise You, for You are holy;
My voice will ever rise before Your throne.
My heart will love You, for You are lovely,
And You have called me to become Your own.
~Twila Paris, My Lips Will Praise You

I officially hate this, but it's what I had time for today.
2.19.11

But He has overcome the world. So take heart, keep on, fight the good fight, pray continuously, and do not grow weary. There is nothing better than giving up everything and stepping into a passionate love relationship with God, the God of the universe who made galaxies, leaves, laughter, and me and you." (This last part is very meaningful to me)

--Excerpt from Crazy Love by Francis Chan.. again :) Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

~Shaina