Hi friends! I have to confess that it was nice to have a blogging break after the interrupted by grace series. I enjoy the month of April, trying to keep my eyes peeled more intentionally for seeing God at work, but writing daily is a lot of work! Thank you to those of you who expressed disappointment that the series was ending; I praise God that He was working in your life through the ministry of Life in the Valley.
Thankfully the end of a blog series does not limit God's work! I wonder how God met you this past weekend and if you took the time to thank Him. My mind cannot comprehend the majesty and power of God, how He is at work healing, redeeming, and transforming lives all over the world all the time!
Knowing Him makes me feel so small!
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him? Psalm 8:3-4
Then again, knowing Him makes me feel so significant!
"I have loved you with an everlasting love;
I have drawn you with unfailing kindness." Jeremiah 31:3b
Lately I have been bombarded, as we often are, with news of varying kinds: stories of loss and grief, stories of provision and praise, stories of struggle and pain, stories of triumph and glory. The Word of God reminds me that, wherever we find ourselves on the spectrum of life experience, God never changes, never fails, and never leaves us.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8
God is love. I John 4:8b and Love never fails. I Corinthians 13:8
For He has said, "I will never leave you for forsake you." Hebrews 13:5b
As I return to the "Open for 2015" Tuesday posts, I want to be OPEN to experiencing God right where I am and letting Him reign in each situation and over each day. I happen to be in a period of life that is very beautiful and relatively peaceful, as peaceful as life can be with three active, talkative children! I want to rejoice and be thankful, as well as faithful with what God is giving.
I also want to ruthlessly chase away the lies that this is just the calm before the storm, and if life is good it's surely going to go south really soon, because I don't "deserve" to enjoy any happiness. Maybe you are in the opposite situation, life is really hard at the moment and you are tempted to believe the lies that God doesn't love you, the pain will never end, and joy will never again be yours.
Friends, let me direct us again to the verses above. While circumstances are always changing, our God does not! Cling to God Almighty in all things. Join me in being OPEN to believing Him and taking Him at His Word, in joy and sorrow. I am so glad that God is near and able! Aren't you?
Lord, You hear the cries of our hearts from the squeals of delight to the wails of anguish. You know where are are at each moment and what we need to keep on believing You. Thank you for being an unchanging, ever-present Love in the midst of the storms of life. You are GOOD. Remind us daily that you are GOOD and your LOVE ENDURES FOREVER. Strengthen each reader today to trust you, for we are always dependent upon you, no matter the circumstances. In Jesus' name, Amen.
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