Oh Lord, thanks for this verse. You really have awesome timing.
Old devotion passage that makes perfect sense now. Thank You, Lord! May you bless me (and the people reading this) as we face this week’s battle. Taking hold of today’s strength for today’s problems! Not worrying, though. God bless, kids! ♡
God is perfect, I am not. God is patient, I am very impatient and I want things to go my way. God is powerful, I am weak and fragile. God’s thoughts are pure, mine are like filthy rags. God never holds grudges in His heart, I do. God forgives, it takes me a long time to do so. God is holy, holy, holy, I am sinful.
His ways are far different from my ways because much like Isaiah, I have unclean lips and I live among people who have unclean lips. But much like Isaiah, I know about His glory so I shall do nothing but live for Him.
I exist for His glory and His holiness. It’s not about me. It’s all about Him.
God’s promises.. make my faith stronger. ☺ ♫
by Britney Prince
Perhaps the word surreal is fitting. It was definitely a surreal day when we broke through the guarding gates of the ribs, drew back the curtains of the pleural sack, and exposed it: the human heart, incredible even in its stillness. Even after my anatomy classmates and I thoroughly explored the atria and ventricles, teased out the intricate cardiac vessels, and were dumbfounded by the parachute-like valves and the strength of its walls, it is still amazing.
And then I consider the heart of God.
When I think of exploring the heart of God, I shrink myself down and wander inside an image of the human heart I cradled in my hands. But this is God’s heart and so it is an image of tiny, insignificant me, wandering in a cavernous, majestic space filled with a thunderous, crashing, driving heartbeat.
It is the heartbeat that captures my attention and becomes my prayer: Lord, I want to know your heartbeat. May my heart beat for the same.
That prayer slides clearly into focus with the words of Henri Nouwen in his book, In the Name of Jesus: Perspectives on Christian Leadership, emphasis added:
In our world of loneliness and despair, there is an enormous need for men and women who know the heart of God, a heart that forgives, cares, reaches out and wants to heal. In that heart there is no suspicion, no vindictiveness, no resentment, and not a tinge of hatred. It is a heart that wants only to give love and receive love in response. It is a heart that suffers immensely because it sees the magnitude of human pain and the great resistance to trusting the heart of God who wants to offer consolation and hope.
May my heart beat for the same.
The apostle John was called the one who Jesus loved. Perhaps it was because he found his way to Jesus’ side, and there rested his head on Jesus’ chest, and truly heard the heartbeat of Christ. It radically changed his life.
Peter was asked three times by Jesus if he loved Him. Peter said yes, and Jesus told him to feed His sheep. Peter realized that to love Jesus was to love what He loved – to have a heart that beat for the same thing. And his life became devoted to Jesus Christ, the One he loved and the One who loves unconditionally.
Paul was caught on the road by that heart that reached out and forgave without a tinge of hatred. It transformed his life.
My life is still in need of transforming. My heart still skips beats, or runs far away from the rhythm of His. And therein lies a great example of the love and graciousness of Jesus’ heart. He reaches down with his unrelenting and ever merciful love to rescue a life and then gently commands that life to love in the same way it has been loved. And when we fail to do so, He reminds us again and gives us another chance.
Forgiving, caring, reaching, longing to heal, without suspicion, without vindictiveness, lacking resentment, not a tinge of hatred, giving love, receiving love, suffering immensely, offering consolation and hope. What an amazing gift that we possess and must give away. What an opportunity, what a great responsibility!
May my heart beat for the same.
It is only God who knows us best and also loves us the very most.
His love is more than our minds could ever imagine - not even depth nor height can measure how great His love for us is. He chooses us, lavishes grace on us and He has rightfully predestined us to be His children even before we were born.
He never rejects nor complains when we ask for something we need and when we seek Him with all our hearts, He’s always ready to prove Himself. It pleases God to love us. Just as a parent loves her child, so God loves us.
If you think you’re not good enough, to Him, You are more than enough - You are precious in His sight.
No matter what our situation, the truth is that God created you for His glory and gave you special gifts. Just as He had a plan for His people thousands of years ago, He has a plan for you - a good, pleasing, and perfect plan. And He is trustworthy to make that plan happen, no matter where we are on the journey. -What Matters Most, p. 67 ♡
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has gone and the new has come.” -2 Corinthians 5:17 ♡
I believe most young Christians hold on to this verse. I, too, hold on to this when temptation keeps on mocking me but here I am, standing firm because I know God is powerful more than anything in this world.
Change is never easy nor can it be done overnight but rather, its a very long process - some have it easy and some may have it hard but in one way or another, I believe we’ll all get there and of course, not with our own strength but with God’s.
It feels great to notice that I, myself, am slowly changing and growing with God. When I didn’t have my priorities set straight before, I’d wake up wanting to read messages on my cellphone or I’d go online in a heartbeat to check accounts and all but now, I start my mornings with a short quiet time with God and read a short verse in my Bible every now and then. It feels great and when I don’t do that routine, I feel empty and I usually go on with a bad mood. But when I do, I feel like I can do all things without anyone ruining my morning and I’d have a smile on my face.
I used to take God’s Word for granted. I’ve always had my own Bible but I never really bothered opening it but now that I’m pretty much hungry for the story of His life, my Bible will serve as my own personal Google.
:)
Things will get better. Happy (yet stressed) days are coming. I can feel it. ♡
To those who are forgetful, here’s a little reminder. ♡
Note to self every time I loose my temper and when nothing good comes out of my mouth. All of these changes I lift up to You, Lord. I know You’ll help me. ♡
