God is FOR you!

Micah is crazy about Jim, and Jim is crazy about Micah. This little love affair is played out every time our two families are together. Micah reaches for Jim. Jim smiles at him and takes him. Micah lays his head on Jim’s shoulder, sometimes with his thumb and bear, and the two of them snuggle. Or in playing together, Jim makes a silly sound and Micah cracks up, like it is the funniest thing in the world. Once when we arrived at their house, Micah was done eating, but hadn’t eaten very well. But when Jim sat down to feed him, he ate a lot! And even during the height of his stranger anxiety phase (around 11 months old) he wouldn't go to anyone except Mommy, Daddy, and Ukki (Jim). Around that time, one day we were babysitting and we thought for sure he'd cry when his parents pulled out of the driveway, but he didn't. He just laid his little head on Jim’s shoulder as if to say: No problem. I'm with my buddy! (smile)

It’s the sweetest thing in the world!

Lately as I have been watching this cuteness, I’ve been hearing God tell me that that’s the way he feels about me…that he is really FOR me!

My Beth Moore Bible study “Stepping Up” is an in depth look at the Psalms of Ascent. These 15 Psalms (120-134) were associated with the 15 steps in the temple. They were sung on the pilgrimage to the Three Great Feasts, and also sung by exiles returning to Jerusalem from captivity.

This has been a particularly rich study for me! Especially Psalm 124 has blessed me these last few days.

“…..If God hadn’t been FOR us…... when everyone went against us, we would have been swallowed alive…...swept away by the flood…...drowned in the torment…...we would have lost our lives in the wild, raging water..…” (Ps. 124:1-5 MSG)

In the workbook, Beth makes this statement:
“Regardless of how long we’ve been Christians and how deeply we’ve studied God’s Word, most of us don’t really believe down in the marrow of our bones that God is entirely, wholeheartedly, and unwaveringly on our side.”
It’s probably not that we feel God is against us, but rather that we’re just one of the bunch of human beings. Maybe he just tolerates us.

No! You and I are special to him…like Micah is to Jim! Like Jim is to Micah!

Now, this doesn’t mean that Jim loves only Micah. He has a close relationship with each of our five grandchildren, but that takes nothing from his special little friendship with Micah. I’m no more special to God than you are…but we are both his treasures! Amazing truth, isn’t it?

One of the recent readings (Oct. 7) in my Joni Eareckson’s “Diamonds in the Dust” devotional book augmented this idea. “Whether you are weak or strong, saintly or struggling, Jesus cares for you. I realize that you may be thinking, ‘Sure, Jesus cares for me in the general sense, as for the whole world, but when it comes to specifics, surely there must be others He is more interested in. After all, I can’t pray out loud…I have a hard time understanding the Bible…I can’t seem to shake bad habits. Yes, I know He cares but not as much as He does for more obedient types.’ Not so. The Lord’s care for you does not hinge on your hang-ups. His care for you has nothing to do with your baggage of personal problems…As a child of God you matter. For you, dear believer, have the full force and undivided attention of eternal Love. Love that cares with no strings attached.”

Wow!

Can you imagine God reaching for you the way Jim does for Micah? Can you feel him laughing with you? Can you feel him anticipating your needs? I recently heard of a lady who thought God had given her cancer because she had been a lukewarm Christian. I don't believe that's how our loving God works!

God is FOR you and God is FOR me! If we will let this soak deeply into our spirits...we’ll be changed people.

God loves you more than Jim loves Micah!


“God, I thank you for showing me these past few days that you are FOR me, really FOR me. Without you there’s no way I could have ever handled this terrible disease. I’d have been swept away long ago. But because of your love, I’m thriving!”

mm





P.S. Yes! I got my new walker and it is wonderfully sturdy and helpful. "Guess who" took "guess who" for a ride on it? You guessed it! (smile)