Do You Really Mean Me?
** This is the first in a special series for February, “Loved by God.”? Along with? each devotional, we will? host a 15-minute chat where you can? share your thoughts on the day’s reading. Give it a try today at 10:30 am Eastern time.
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“God loves you!” We hear it from time to time. Sometimes it is offered as somewhat of a Band-aid to a difficult problem we face. Sometimes it’s on a billboard or on a grandmother’s lips. Yet does it really make much difference if He does or if He doesn’t? And if God really does love me, does it actually affect me where I live and walk today? Does God’s love matter in any practical way to me?
Most of us have no trouble believing in a higher power. Nearly every 12-step help program acknowledges the need of it. Most people say, “Yes” when asked if they believe in God, but that’s often about as far as it goes. For many of us, our relationship with God is limited to little rituals, memorized prayers and desperate pleas for God to get us out of the scrapes we get ourselves into.
Yet His Word, the Holy Bible, tells of a very loving God who longs to be in relationship with us. The Father’s heart, to us, His children, is tender. His arms are open and His invitation is “Come.”
“Come to me all you who are burdened and I will give you rest… for your souls”(Matthew 11:28-29).
Sometimes we cannot hear His call to “come.” Sometimes our filters are clogged with the sad truth that our own father may not have provided a good example of loving us. Sometimes we do not believe that His love could be for us as individuals. Oh, we know others whom God could surely love, but me? “No,” we think, “not if He really knew me.”
There are times in our lives when God calls our name. He asks us not to harden our hearts to Him, but to respond and to come.
“God loves you” is a deeply profound statement that will change your life if you will let it. Dare to explore with me the depth of this love. Dare to turn your head and hear Him calling your name. You will never be sorry.
~ Heavenly Father,
Thank You that You really do love me just as I am. Please help me today to be able to respond to your invitation to “Come.??? Soften my heart to hear You calling my name. Thank You for opening Your arms to me! In Jesus’ precious name, amen.?
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About the Author
This article was written by Gail Rodgers. You can read more about this author by clicking this link:
http://www.talk.thelife.com/gail-rodgers/
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My dad did make it difficult.
He was an alcoholic and mentally ill clergyman. At home, he was abusive, immature (infantile, even), self-centered, and manipulative. He had delusions and unrealistic perceptions and ideas. He was unpredictable and impossible to understand much of the time. He was stubborn and dogmatic. He was a male “drama-queen,” and had peculiarities that made him difficult to please.
98% of the time it was “all about him.” He even identified with God so closely that he once told me that if I am ashamed of him, I am ashamed of God (taking from Christ’s words about Himself and the Father, apparently). He said that being a clergyman put him on that level.
At the same time, he was gifted, intelligent, sensitive, and playful. He could be incredibly and accurately deep, too. And he was generous. He had a soft spot for the lonely and forgotten.
Sometime in middle school or high school, my mom told me that she thought that I had dad and God mixed up. That was probably true, and I think that is the way dad would have wanted me to see things.
So, yes, I have an inconsistent view of God even now. When things start to look good and my faith and, especially, my trust in Him start to take root and/or grow, I almost immediately start to question or doubt, too. “Yeah, but, what about that left-field blow? The Bible also says… and I am…” I don’t feel that I can count on God being consistent in His goodness, especially as messed up as I am.
This isn’t a “:-}” kind of subject, but I’ll include it so you know that it is me.
Thanks ladies :-}.
I’ve been starting to not get my devotionals. Thank goodness for the listing on the right hand side of who has recently commented :-}.
THIS STATEMENT “GOD LOVES YOU” OR “JESUS LOVES YOU” CAB REALLY MAKE PEOPLE STOP AND THINK. LAST FALL AFTER ALMOST A YEAR OF THIS GUY CALLING ME A BUM I ONE DAY TURNED TO HIM AND SAID “YOU KNOW WHAT, JESUS LOVES YOU AND SO DO I.” I THEN GAVE HIM A SMILE THAT WENT FROM EAR TO EAR AND TURNED AND WALKED AWAY. WHEN I SAT IN THE BUS SHELTER I LOOKED OVER AT HIM AND HE WAS RUBBING HIS HEAD. MY WORDS HAD GIVEN HIM SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT. TO THIS DAY EVERY TIME I SEE THIS GUY HE SAYS TO ME AT SOME TIME DURING OUR CHAT “JESUS LOVES YOU” I HAVE FOUND THAT IT REALLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN TALKING TO HIM KNOWING THAT I HAVE GIVEN HIM SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT “GODS LOVE”