Reason #324
Sunday, I love you! Sunday, you always come at just the right time. I'm always encouraged at how the Lord lifts my spirits. Amazed at how He knows just what to say and when to say it. I'm in awe of His love for me and the lengths He will go to in order to make sure I am aware of it.
I spent time in Hosea, Isaiah, and Jeremiah today. Books that are a story of redemption. Books that have an initial story of sorrow and heartache. And the thing is, this is our story. My story. People who have really messed up and deserve nothing good yet He goes to such great lengths to draw His people back to Himself. To chase after them. To extend unlimited forgiveness to the undeserved. To bring hope in hopeless situations. Confesses His undying love for His creation. An undying love that chose to die. That's how great it is, that's the length it went to. Death on a cross. A high price paid for worthless creatures that were then deemed priceless and valuable by a selfless act. Because would we do the same thing? Would we literally give our all, our everything for someone who did us wrong? Would we offer forgiveness to someone who hurt us deeply, not just once but again and again and again? Would we chase after them, pursue them regardless of what it costs us? After being rejected more than once, would we keep laying it out there only to possibly face rejection again?
But that's what He did. Went to really great lenghts to bring us back to himself. Regardless of what we had done, were doing, were going to do, He still pursued us. Chased after us with a deep love. Even when we hurt Him, rejected Him, pushed Him away and ran from Him, He ran after us. Came to us and offered forgivess to us even when we didn't apologize or repent for the damage we caused. He layed it all out there for us to take freely. History has an unfortunate way of repeating itself and, knowing that full well, He didn't give up. He didn't change His mind or back out. And when we got ourselves in yet another bind, He offered a way out, stepped in to rescue. Offered hope to us once again and redeemed us. And despite the mess we tangle ourselves in, He always finds a way to use it and to draw us closer to Him. To teach us through it, to strengthen us through it, saving us from complete destruction. And so if we've been wronged, if we've done the wrong, it doesn't matter. Either way, He still loves us. Either way, He desires to restore us completely. And either way, He desires to draw us closer to Him.
And so it blows my mind that this perfect, holy, blameless, perfect, beautiful, awesome God would chase after me. That He would run after me without abandon, pursuing me day in and day out. That He would go to any length to save and rescue me. In fact, that He has already gone to such extreme lengths to do that. That He has extended unlimited forgiveness to a girl who has messed up, messes up and is prone to wander. That He would put Himself out there, lay it on the line, for me time and time again. That He wouldn't give up on a girl who sometimes gives up too easily. That He would pay any price, and did, to have me as His own. This, I don't understand. But I don't question it. I'm eternally grateful for this kind of love. For a love that says, "I know you. I've seen what you've done and what you're going to do and I still love you whole-heartedly. I will never give up on you no matter what you do. I will go to any lengths to show you how dearly I love you, how deeply I feel about you, how valuable you are to me." No greater love...
#324 - Because He chases after us.
"Therefore, I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her...I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion." - Hosea 2:14&19
I spent time in Hosea, Isaiah, and Jeremiah today. Books that are a story of redemption. Books that have an initial story of sorrow and heartache. And the thing is, this is our story. My story. People who have really messed up and deserve nothing good yet He goes to such great lengths to draw His people back to Himself. To chase after them. To extend unlimited forgiveness to the undeserved. To bring hope in hopeless situations. Confesses His undying love for His creation. An undying love that chose to die. That's how great it is, that's the length it went to. Death on a cross. A high price paid for worthless creatures that were then deemed priceless and valuable by a selfless act. Because would we do the same thing? Would we literally give our all, our everything for someone who did us wrong? Would we offer forgiveness to someone who hurt us deeply, not just once but again and again and again? Would we chase after them, pursue them regardless of what it costs us? After being rejected more than once, would we keep laying it out there only to possibly face rejection again?
But that's what He did. Went to really great lenghts to bring us back to himself. Regardless of what we had done, were doing, were going to do, He still pursued us. Chased after us with a deep love. Even when we hurt Him, rejected Him, pushed Him away and ran from Him, He ran after us. Came to us and offered forgivess to us even when we didn't apologize or repent for the damage we caused. He layed it all out there for us to take freely. History has an unfortunate way of repeating itself and, knowing that full well, He didn't give up. He didn't change His mind or back out. And when we got ourselves in yet another bind, He offered a way out, stepped in to rescue. Offered hope to us once again and redeemed us. And despite the mess we tangle ourselves in, He always finds a way to use it and to draw us closer to Him. To teach us through it, to strengthen us through it, saving us from complete destruction. And so if we've been wronged, if we've done the wrong, it doesn't matter. Either way, He still loves us. Either way, He desires to restore us completely. And either way, He desires to draw us closer to Him.
And so it blows my mind that this perfect, holy, blameless, perfect, beautiful, awesome God would chase after me. That He would run after me without abandon, pursuing me day in and day out. That He would go to any length to save and rescue me. In fact, that He has already gone to such extreme lengths to do that. That He has extended unlimited forgiveness to a girl who has messed up, messes up and is prone to wander. That He would put Himself out there, lay it on the line, for me time and time again. That He wouldn't give up on a girl who sometimes gives up too easily. That He would pay any price, and did, to have me as His own. This, I don't understand. But I don't question it. I'm eternally grateful for this kind of love. For a love that says, "I know you. I've seen what you've done and what you're going to do and I still love you whole-heartedly. I will never give up on you no matter what you do. I will go to any lengths to show you how dearly I love you, how deeply I feel about you, how valuable you are to me." No greater love...
#324 - Because He chases after us.
"Therefore, I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her...I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion." - Hosea 2:14&19
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