The Love of God: Chapter 1

The love of God. How many of us actually take a minute and think about what that really means? Sure we've heard it said a million times in church and youth group, but do we really, really know what it means? Over the next week or so, I'll post about the different parts of God's love I've encountered, and hopefully He will reveal to you what His love means too. :)

Most of you remember the old story from Sunday School about Jesus telling Peter to go fishing and the first fish he caught would have a 4-drachma coin. He told Peter to take this coin and give it to the tax collectors for His tax and Peter's.

God directed me to this passage today. But instead of the usual passage I was given the verses before it. Here is what I read in Matthew 17: 25-26, 25 "When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. "What do you think, Simon?" he asked. "From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and tax-from their own sons or from others?" 26 "From others," Peter answered. "Then the sons are exempt," Jesus said to him. Then it hit me like a brick what Jesus meant by this statement. He was trying to show Peter that sons of God (the ultimate king) are exempt as well from the taxes or death we deserve, through forgiveness.

Sometimes it's so hard to believe that. There are many days where I feel like quitting. "God can possibly care anymore, I've screwed up WAY too many times," I whisper to myself. But God still considers us His loved ones and keeps forgiving us, no matter what we do or where we go. God says in His word, "Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God." That means NOTHING!!!! Not what you've done in your past, not what your doing right now, not what your afraid you will do. Nothing can separate you from His love. No matter what your faults are, He can and will cover them with His cleansing blood and with His forgiveness. Just ask Him. That's all He wants is a willing heart. He doesn't want a perfect person, He just wants your love. :)

So next time the enemy pulls you down and tells you that God can't possibly love you, remember the story of the 4-drachma coin, and remember that You are covered with His forgiveness. :)

Blessings! and always praying for your walk with God,

Tess :)

The pull of LIFE

Life. When I think of it, I usually think of the game. You go around the board a bunch of times, try to keep your finances balanced, get married, have kids, graduate them, and then die.

Pretty depressing, no? Is that all there is to life? Are we really just going around a board, in the hopes of beating the other guy? Is everything we do just to get ahead of someone sitting across from us?

I would argue we are here for a purpose. I would argue everything we do has a purpose, no matter how small. Some end goal, something we are all striving for. But what is it? Some people say it is reincarnation. For some, it is to better the world. Still others think they will be nothing but dust, and their death will give a new baby life.

Paul, in many of his letters, compared the Christian faith to running a race. We are running the race. It isn't a circular race, but more like a marathon. It has it's ups and downs, twists and turns, roundabouts and yes, a finish line. However, unlike a typical runner, we only get one chance. We only pass over each bit of ground once. We can only affect the world once.

So my question is this: How are you affecting those around you? How are you sharing His light with the world, in a way that would make everyone want to run the race?