It's amazing to me how God knows just how to speak right into my heart...when I am not looking, listening, learning, or leaning on Him for anything...He's there, reminding me of His presence, in a way I never could have imagined.
When I find myself running 100mph in the opposite direction, He allows a situation or encounter or relationship to show me HIS place in my heart. And, it's here...when I finally stop my running and turn back to Him...that I find He is only ONE step behind me. Waiting for me. Watching for me. Willing for me to return to His arms. He doesn't make me journey back to Him... He doesn't make me work for His forgiveness or grace or mercy...He's just right there...holding it all out to me SO freely! And I don't deserve it! And He doesn't care...His love is SO obsessively purely transparently perfect.
And all this hits me right between the eyes while walking the other day. Of course. I had forgotten how sweet it is to take a walk alone...with my savior...with myself. He speaks so freely in the quiet clamor of His creation. And it's profound.
So what is this profound truth? I am a fickle lover to my Christ. I meet with Him once (maybe twice) a week for our weekly date. We spend uninterrupted, intimate time together...and I don't call Him the rest of the week. I continue on with my "busy" schedule and even when I have time with nothing to do, I fill it with facebook...or reading...or family...or, let's be honest, sleeping. Don't get me wrong, NONE of these things are BAD things! *in moderation in some cases -cough-facebook-cough* BUT, the point is, NONE of them should come before Christ (or between me and Christ). The savior of my soul who freely and willingly gives me all His love and grace and peace and joy...and I could go on and on and on... But Culture says it's not acceptable to be a one-God-woman. "Play the field," Culture says. "Take risks," Culture says. "Make mistakes," Culture says. "You'll never know until you try," Culture says. "I have needs," Culture says. "I could make you change your mind," Culture says.
And we do.
We do everything Culture asks of us because Culture feels good. Because Culture sounds good. Because Culture looks good. Because we don't want to see any of it go away...
Here's the kicker friends, we may be fickle lovers, but God is loyal, trustworthy, and true! Most of all, for our fickle ways, He is unconditionally forgiving. *That's unCODITIONal not inCONSEQUENTial...there will be consequences for our deliberate disobedience* But we are forgiven. We are welcomed back. We are given a second chance...and a third...and a fourth...and a tenth...and a millionth if that's what it takes. The truth of Christ is this, He died to save you...to have you in His family...to have you by His side for eternity. Nothing ever can separate!
Now...I know that I will return to my fickle, distracted, discontented, Culture seeking ways...it's in my nature...but I will try to resist, and my effort will not go unnoticed. And sometimes I will come out ahead.
But here's the point. Stop meeting with God for your intimate once a week date and forgetting about Him for the rest of the week...because, let's face it, we all know how this feels... He wants to hear from you regularly...every day! Every moment if you want! You can not contact Him too much! You will not bother Him. He will drop everything and listen and RESPOND to your every prayer! He is THAT in LOVE with YOU!
