Know ONE Thing

“God, what do people need to hear today?” Many mornings I believe that I’m led to think this thought and pray this prayer. And often times it seems that the answer is simply “Tell them that I love them!” You’ll never understand everything but you can always understand one thing and that is - that God loves you. I know this may mess with your mind, especially during hard times and you think, “Well, if God loves us so much then why did He let this happen or that?” I believe the answer is free will. If God choose to control absolutely everything the He would be responsible for everything and nothing would go wrong. But He chose to give us a choice and be responsible with our own lives. He said that He will help us if we ask but He didn’t say that He would do it for us.

When my children were little and learning to walk - they all fell down. I could have carried them everywhere and if I did then I still would be. Can you imagine it, me walking around with four teenagers on my back? As they grew and learned to think they have made some mistakes and have had to deal with the consequences. So should I try to control their mind with some kind of continual Vulcan mind meld and make every decision for them in order to “protect them”? I think not and I’m not Spock. But the point is that if I protect them from everything then I protect then from nothing. And if I do everything for them then I enable them to be disabled. But no matter what happens, stand or fall, win or sin, they know that I love them.

With God the same is true. He loves you no matter what you do. He doesn’t desire for you to do wrong and sing a sad song, but He’s not making your decisions or writing your lyrics. And sometimes other’s people’s stories are almost unbearable but with free will are they not for this short time on earth the author of their own destiny? God has a plan and a path for us to walk but He still lets choose our own way. We can choose His way or our way or someone else’s way. Sometimes we do and others we don’t and some don’t and some do.

So everything is really a big mess and the world looks like our house did when we had four little ones. But it’s okay, because God is going to come and clean it all up in the end. But in the mean time we get to live here and make the best or worst of it that we will. Often times people trip over the “toys” and people fall down, get hurt or even die. But it’s still okay but God always there, even in death, and able to raise us up. And He will if we will because He loves us so much. He said that He will help when we ask and if we don’t then He won’t. And it’s because He’s given us the gift of free will. Apparently He has more faith in us than we do. Can you imagine a whole planet with the forces of good and evil and full of people with free will? Oh, wait no need for imagination - here it is.

So in the midst of it all remember, you’ll never understand everything but you can always understand one thing and that is - that God loves you!

Jer 31:3 I have loved you, O my people, with an everlasting love; with loving-kindness I have drawn you to me. (TLB)
I have always loved you, so I continue to show you my constant love. (GNB)
I've never quit loving you and never will. Expect love, love, and more love! (MSG)

1 John 3:1
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!
NIV

Isa 54:10
10 For even if the mountains walk away
and the hills fall to pieces,
My love won't walk away from you,
my covenant commitment of peace won't fall apart."
The God who has compassion on you says so.
MES