One of my favorite phrases in all of scripture is "Steadfast Love". It is found mostly in the Psalms, which are mostly meditations and poetry of men who deeply experienced the love of God.
At first notion, steadfast love speaks of the fact that no matter what we do, God will always love us. I am reminded of this type of steadfast in the way I love my kids.Many times I have told them that I will always love them no matter what. I say this frequently in the early ages so that when the real hard stuff happens as they get older, the idea that I love them not matter what is pressed deep into them and they never doubt that I love them.
But there is a second notion with this phrase that I want to get you to think about. I pray that this notion is pressed deep into your soul so that you will never forget it.
The God of the universe loves you with a steadfast love. That means that not only will his love never change based on your actions; but it also means that it will never HAVE to change to completely satisfy your soul.
This is a very impractical notion. It does not make in sense in the light of life. If God loves me with this sort of love that does not need to change in order for me to be completely satisfied, then why is my heart restless, why do want for things?
The simple answer is that we are so easily distracted. As C.S. Lewis puts it, "a child go on making mud pies in the slums because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at sea."
A.W. Tozer says, "God wills that we should push on into his presence and live our whole life there. This is to be known to us in conscious experience. It is more than a doctrine to be held, it is a life to be enjoyed every moment of every day."
God has been pressing in on me much lately to pray with passion and fervor for those he has connected my heart to, tonight I pray this for you, "God would you give us a burning heart for you? Show us the steadfastness of your love. Remove distraction of the things that this world offers that will pass away. Capture our imaginations with the wonder and beauty of you. Give us fire to rest in you."
Thank you for reading and know that I love you but God loves you perfectly and completely and with a steadfast love.
I am thinking a lot lately about suffering. I am thinking about it even more as 9-11 approaches. I remember being asked about God's role in it. I am not sure of God's role in it. I have ideas but they are flawed and my ability to communicate those ideas is even more flawed.
Romans 11:33-34 puts us in our place in this regard. What I do know is that God loves us. He loves us more than we can ever know. He loves us with a redeeming love that never changes and does not need to change to bring us to complete fulfillment.
I want you to click on this link. The voice you hear of the preacher here is a man who is a pastor in Dallas who has brain cancer and doctors say the average life expectancy of man his age with stage of cancer is 2-3 years. The song you here mixed in in was written by a man whose best friend died in an accident.
I pray that God gets your attention. I pray that you know the beauty of a God who is so magnificent and satisfying that his glory eclipses even the greatest of tragedies.
Thanks for reading.
Rik
Romans 11:33-34 puts us in our place in this regard. What I do know is that God loves us. He loves us more than we can ever know. He loves us with a redeeming love that never changes and does not need to change to bring us to complete fulfillment.
I want you to click on this link. The voice you hear of the preacher here is a man who is a pastor in Dallas who has brain cancer and doctors say the average life expectancy of man his age with stage of cancer is 2-3 years. The song you here mixed in in was written by a man whose best friend died in an accident.
I pray that God gets your attention. I pray that you know the beauty of a God who is so magnificent and satisfying that his glory eclipses even the greatest of tragedies.
Thanks for reading.
Rik
A Lesson From Job
Take a minute to read Job 38:1-13
Know that God is in charge. Know that God knows what is best. Know that God is moving in your life to make you aware that he is in charge and can do what he wants. Know that God is in charge and loves you more than you can ever understand.
Know that God is faithful and does not forget or lead his people. Know that God is bringing you to a place where every longing that you have ever had will be fulfilled in a deeper way than you could ever imagine.
Know that God is not trying to take from you, he is trying to give to you. Know that God is smarter than you and knows how to give gifts to you. Know that any joy that you might experience on this planet is a mere shadow to what is to come for those who love him.
Know that the time you spend here in the body you currently occupy is less than the smallest amount of time you can think of. Know that pain is temporary for the one who places hope in Christ. Know that pain is a tool in the hand of God.
Know that I love you, but God loves you more and sent his son to be brutally abused and abandoned so that full and complete redemption could be yours.
Thanks for reading. I love you and I long to pray for you.
Rik
Know that God is in charge. Know that God knows what is best. Know that God is moving in your life to make you aware that he is in charge and can do what he wants. Know that God is in charge and loves you more than you can ever understand.
Know that God is faithful and does not forget or lead his people. Know that God is bringing you to a place where every longing that you have ever had will be fulfilled in a deeper way than you could ever imagine.
Know that God is not trying to take from you, he is trying to give to you. Know that God is smarter than you and knows how to give gifts to you. Know that any joy that you might experience on this planet is a mere shadow to what is to come for those who love him.
Know that the time you spend here in the body you currently occupy is less than the smallest amount of time you can think of. Know that pain is temporary for the one who places hope in Christ. Know that pain is a tool in the hand of God.
Know that I love you, but God loves you more and sent his son to be brutally abused and abandoned so that full and complete redemption could be yours.
Thanks for reading. I love you and I long to pray for you.
Rik
