The Lord has given us many narratives in which to frame His magnanimous love for us. We have been given the narrative of a Father seeking to restore His family which has rejected Him, a Shepherd faithfully tending His wayward flock, the loving hands of a Great Potter restoring broken vessels to glory, a perfect Friend seeking to restore relationships with those who have betrayed Him, a Great Lover seeking to win the heart of His unfaithful bride. These are all true and beautiful examples of the heart and motives of YAHWEH, the Almighty, toward us.
Which of these narratives resonate best with you as you contemplate how the Lord has engaged you? He comes to us in ways that identify with our deepest needs. Do you feel lost in this huge world, wondering what your purpose is? He comes as the Father bearing your heritage to bestow your identity. Do you feel constantly hunted and pursued by those seeking to fleece you of your life? He comes as a loving and protective Shepherd to lead you through the valley of the shadow of death. Do you feel worthless and useless, unable to bring anything of real substance to this world? He comes as the Potter to make you a vessel that He can fill up and pour through to enrich the lives of others. Do you feel like no one truly loves you or knows you and that you are all alone in an ocean of people? He comes as your friend even knowing the number of hairs on your head, knowing all of your faults and secrets, yet still gives all that He has to be your closest companion. There is nothing better to be had than the Love of GOD.
What can we begin to do to show our gratefulness for all He does and has done? First and foremost, receive His love. Surrender in His hands and let Him do what He enjoys the most, giving life and creating that which is good. Accept His call to reconciliation through YESHUA HAMASHIACH, the Anointed Savior. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
We should all endeavor to love the Lord as He has loved us. The Lord has waited on us, He has pursued us, disqualified our accusers, and laid down His glory to raise us from the dead. So, now we have a chance to bless Him in some of the same ways in which He has blessed us. We can refute those who accuse GOD of being anything less than who He proclaims that He is. Whether that be an internal voice or an external voice. We can pursue GOD through seeking to understand His heart and mind as expressed through His Spirit and His Word. We can lay down our lives that the Spirit of the resurrected Christ may express His will through us, lifting up Christ that He may draw all unto Him.
“If we cannot trust the love of God to protect us in life, there is no way we are coming out of our shells. Until we learn to trust God, we will be dominated by the selfish orientation of self-preservation. If we cannot accept that we are dearly beloved of God, and precious in His sight, there is no way we are going to stop promoting our false selves in pride. There must be hope in God’s love and trust that His intentions are always good toward us. We have to open ourselves to a love relationship with God that includes His chastisement and correction, which are necessary for our fulfillment. It is impossible to please God without the faith that works by the knowledge of His steadfast love. You will never surrender to the potter until you trust His loving hands, and you will never know freedom until He touches you.” (An excerpt from my book, True Heritage: Recovering from Spiritual Identity Theft)
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