I think I've said this in one of my 3 or 4 posts that I've written....I tend to forget just how BIG God is. I tend to limit Him to my human capacity. Not only do I forget how BIG he is, I forget that he is a God that so desires to be in relationship with us. He gave up everything to be in relationship with us. He is enthralled with us.
Today, like many other days, I have a song stuck in my head....
You dance over me while I am unaware
You sing all around but I never hear the sound
Lord I'm amazed by You
Lord I'm amazed by You
Lord I'm amazed by You
And how You love me
You paint the morning sky with miracles in mind
My hope will always stand
For You hold me in Your hand
How deep how wide
How great is Your love for me
This song just speaks to me over and over of his great and awesome love for me and for ALL the people in this world. I know there are times when I've sinned and I think to myself, " why would he want to be with me or interact with me when I've done (fill in the blank)," But he says in Romans 5:8, " But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." So even while, I have messed up, he is there, wanting me to repent and run to him. His arms are always open. The song says, "How deep, how wide, how great is your love for me"! There is no limit to his love for us. "You dance over me, while I'm unaware...you sing all around but I never hear a sound"...does that sound like a god that doesn't want to be in relationship with us? Absolutely not!!! Today it just puts the biggest smile on my face knowing that he dances over me!!!
But, we don't just stop there, today I read in Ephesians 5:1-2(The Message),
"Watch what God does, and then you do
it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly
what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of
love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but
extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to
give everything of himself to us. Love like that."
Wow! Not only do I need to know and comprehend Christ's love for me....I need to imitate him! I need to love him with the same love that he loves me with..."extravagant love". I need to love my husband with the same love. I need to love my kids, my neighbors, my friends, my enemies, etc. with the same love that Christ has for me. When we truly follow Christ, we have to put this into action....and please don't think I am perfect, I have and am going to mess up....but he cares about my heart, not perfection. I read this same verse to my kids this morning, and tried to put it into words they might understand. We talked about imitating Christ. But in order to imitate Christ we need to know what he does....which lead to the question....What does God or Christ do? Here were some of their answers:
He loves
He serves
He provides/gives
He protects
He sacrifices
He does all these things....and now we need to do the same. We need to love God and love others. We need to serve God and serve others. We need to give back to God (because he has provided for us) and we need to give to others. We need to protect and care for the orphans and widows. And we need to give even when it hurts...we need to sacrifice. Hearing and teaching these things are one thing, doing them is completely different....but it is my hearts desire to do them and to instill them in my kids.
So, today be amazed by God and his love for you and then let that carry into imitating Christ and loving others, whatever that might look like! And remember, he dances and sings over you! He delights in you!!!
