"Sometimes we praise because we choose to; other times we praise we because we want to. Occasionally we praise because we have to- because, if we don't the rocks will cry out! That's compulsory praise!" -Beth Moore
When I was looking at my Jesus, the One and Only Beth Moore study before opening it, in so many words, I thought about how often I don't see God as loving but as separate and Holy- worthy of praise and a one sided relationship where I and every one of His children strive to serve Him in the best way we can and He will give us snippets of His mercy along the way until we reach Heaven when all of grace will be revealed. I know this to not be true but I often live in that lie and in the "occasionally we praise because we have to"- occasionally has become my norm. God doesn't want me to live like this all of the time. He wants me to experience His full grace right now.
In Luke 1:78, Zechariah's song reminds us that God has tender mercy.
"He feels for us- not only when we are the innocent victims of a depraved world. He also feels for us when we are drowning in misery as a consequence of our own sin. He who knows no sin feels for us who do." -Beth Moore
God wants us to experience Him in the full measure of His grace, in a true relationship with Him; not making the occasional "have to" the norm- but because we want to and He wants to be in relationship with us through His infinite grace and compassion. WANTS: such a powerful word over need...it involves choice. Jesus chooses us again and again and again and again EVERY TIME. Every time we screw up; every time we fail; every time we have no strength left; every time we have a wonderful day; every time we follow Him and every time we go our own way. He chooses us....wants us.
God decided to knock me over the side of my head with His love today. I love His reminders of things I believe. He tells us to come to Him in remembrance of Him, but so often He is the one reminding me of things and it has nothing to do with me remembering anything.
Another thing He reminded me of is that He isn't through with me. This is something I think of daily and am so glad that God will complete His work in me. In one verse, Luke 1:80, an example from John the baptist's life:
"And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the desert until he appeared publicly to Israel."
Here's what Beth Moore said about this verse:
"Please note: John was set apart from birth, yet God used time to mature him into a servant who knew how to wield the power of the Spirit he'd been given. Beloved, God is into growth. We are set apart from our supernatural births, but God uses time to teach us what to do with all we've been given. God's Spirit is immutably and inconceivably strong, but we learn through many process how to apply that strength to and through our own lives."
AMEN.
God, thank You for romancing me today. I choose You because You chose me.
