Cherished

Father, I come before you this morning, praising your glorious name! God, you are so good, so wonderful, so loving. Help us all RECEIVE your love. All of us would say, "I know God loves me." But, do we BELIEVE it in our spirits? Do our actions reveal that we truly believe it?????

"Do you know just how deeply loved and cherished you are by your Heavenly Father?"

Hmmmmmmm. Cherished..... I am cherished by God. Say that OUT LOUD (doesn't matter who is in room!!!!)! I AM CHERISHED BY GOD!

"For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother's womb. (God isn't surprised by our personalities! He created them! He KNIT us together- our likes, dislikes, what makes us unique- stitch by stitch in our mother's womb!). I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." Psalm 139:13-14

I used to wonder about the "fearfully" part. Did God fear as He made me? Did He think, "Oh, boy, maybe I shouldn't do this. I know how she's gonna turn out!" JUST KIDDING!!!!!! Anyway, the "fearfully" part can throw us a little, until we think about what the bible says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." So, we know this kind of "fear" means reverence, a deep respect. In that light, think of God fearfully making you as He made us with deep reverence. He wasn't just throwing something together. He was taking His time, "painstakingly" knitting us together, making us who we are. It was with a deep love and respect that He created each one of us. Isn't that humbling???? Isn't that mind-blowing- knowing God has done this for EACH and every person? How He loves us! How He loves us!

Did you think about a time when God demonstrated His love for you- a time when you really felt His love?

What God brought to my mind was an example from a couple of months ago. Abby was about 8 months old. I was making my bed and I looked over at Abby in her swing and I was filled with such overflowing, immense, unconditional love for her. It was like a wave of love washed over me. I HAD to stop making the bed, drop everything and scoop her up, kissing her from top to bottom. I thought, "Abby, you are "addicting!" Sometimes I can't even do anything else but love on ya!" I felt so much love for her. She hadn't DONE anything- hadn't performed- wasn't DOING anything........I just felt love for her.

God whispered to my heart that is how He feels for me.........overflowing, immense, gotta stop what you are doing, scoop you up and love on ya, unconditional love. Girls, we don't have to DO anything, He JUST loves us! He just has to pick us up, breathe us in, kiss us, love on us........... The God of the Universe feels that way for us! Doesn't it just bring us to our knees????????

OK. So the question is, in view of this, what is my response to God's love?

Anyway, with me, my reaction is that I want to please Him. (Now we have just said that He is pleased with me already without DOING anything!) HIS LOVE is NOT tied to my performance. In other words, I DO NOT have to "perform" and perform well FOR HIM TO LOVE ME! But, my reaction, in response to Him is that I WANT to please Him, "make Daddy proud" so to speak. I want to obey Him. I want to bring glory to His Name! I want to be a light shining for Him!

The verse from 1John that says, "If you love me, you will obey my commands" has new light. God isn't giving us a warning like some mean teacher ready to wrap our knuckles with a ruler. He is saying that when we feel such love for Him, our natural response will be to obey Him- no questions asked. We are delighted to obey every little thing He asks of us, trusting Him completely, not out of drudgery and fear and a feeling of "obligation" or legalism, but because of our love for Him.

"The Lord your God is with you. He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you. He will quiet you with His love. He will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17


Father God, I want to have that radical obedience that I used to have! And, what makes me the most sad is that it IS tied to my love for you! I feel like the verse in Revelation, "...you have forsaken your first love- remember the heights from which you have fallen...." I want to fall in love you, Lord, more and more! I want you to be my everything! I want to be head over heals in love with you. I want you to be my first thought when I wake up in the morning, my last thought when I fall asleep at night, and all of my thoughts throughout the day! I want to be delighted in you! I love you, Lord, and I want to love you more. Please fill me with you! I love you. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen