Reason #68
“You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So
if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how
much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask
him." - Matthew 7:9-11
Tonight, I shared with my mom that I am so overwhelmed by how much God loves me. I am blown away by how generous he is to me. I just can't believe how good is to me. I would love to share so many stories about his provision for me, but I don't have enough space. Me, I am so undeserving. I am one of the least. By no means am I worthy of this goodness or attention, but he pours it out nonetheless. I just can't grasp it. I can't understand. To be honest, I am really having a hard time coming up with words to explain how I feel about it.
Today I felt consumed by him. It's an interesting feeling that I can't really explain, but today, I felt fully satisfied. Not wanting or worried, but content and at peace. A new feeling for me.
And I wondered why I was so surprised by this. Isn't this what God wants? Doesn't he want to give good things to his children? Doesn't he desire to satisfy their every need? I realize how I so often squelch his goodness in my life. I don't accept the gifts because I am blind to what he's doing. I am so focused on my will and my desires that I don't consider the fact that his options are better.
I think I am just starting to realize this because he brought me to a point where I finally realized that he was the only one who could give me what I needed. My family, my friends, my mentors, my coworkers, they are all wonderful people who have loved me in a mighty way, who have comforted me, who have encouraged me and supported me, but they couldn't give me what I needed. I was asking for "bread and fish" from the wrong people. They were giving me good things, but it wasn't enough.
And after months of asking, I realized the truth in the passage above. I was surrounded by people who were giving me great things. Great advice, great encouragement, great hugs, great words of truth, great lunch dates, but He was wanting to give me so much more. More than they could. More than I knew I even needed. But He knew. And it finally clicked for me. So I turned to him and when I asked for bread, he gave me a bakery. When I asked for fish, he gave me an aquarium. And I still can't believe that I am even surprised by this. I suppose I just have a hard time understanding why the Creator of the Universe, the King of Kings, the Alpha and Omega, God Almighty, would want to take the time to spoil me, a simple-minded, hard headed, imperfect child. But he does... every day.
There's a little song I learned growing up that says, "Count your blessings name them one by one. Count your blessing see what God has done..." When I stop to do that, I am in awe. What joy to begin to understand the depth of his love for us. What joy to be the recipient of gifts from the one who holds the whole world in his hands. Gifts he gives freely. Gifts with no strings attached. Gifts we don't deserve. Gifts we don't even know we need yet. And all because he loves us so very much!
What about you? Have you counted your blessings to see what He has done?
#68 - the indescribable gift of his love!
"Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need." - Matthew 6:33
Tonight, I shared with my mom that I am so overwhelmed by how much God loves me. I am blown away by how generous he is to me. I just can't believe how good is to me. I would love to share so many stories about his provision for me, but I don't have enough space. Me, I am so undeserving. I am one of the least. By no means am I worthy of this goodness or attention, but he pours it out nonetheless. I just can't grasp it. I can't understand. To be honest, I am really having a hard time coming up with words to explain how I feel about it.
Today I felt consumed by him. It's an interesting feeling that I can't really explain, but today, I felt fully satisfied. Not wanting or worried, but content and at peace. A new feeling for me.
And I wondered why I was so surprised by this. Isn't this what God wants? Doesn't he want to give good things to his children? Doesn't he desire to satisfy their every need? I realize how I so often squelch his goodness in my life. I don't accept the gifts because I am blind to what he's doing. I am so focused on my will and my desires that I don't consider the fact that his options are better.
I think I am just starting to realize this because he brought me to a point where I finally realized that he was the only one who could give me what I needed. My family, my friends, my mentors, my coworkers, they are all wonderful people who have loved me in a mighty way, who have comforted me, who have encouraged me and supported me, but they couldn't give me what I needed. I was asking for "bread and fish" from the wrong people. They were giving me good things, but it wasn't enough.
And after months of asking, I realized the truth in the passage above. I was surrounded by people who were giving me great things. Great advice, great encouragement, great hugs, great words of truth, great lunch dates, but He was wanting to give me so much more. More than they could. More than I knew I even needed. But He knew. And it finally clicked for me. So I turned to him and when I asked for bread, he gave me a bakery. When I asked for fish, he gave me an aquarium. And I still can't believe that I am even surprised by this. I suppose I just have a hard time understanding why the Creator of the Universe, the King of Kings, the Alpha and Omega, God Almighty, would want to take the time to spoil me, a simple-minded, hard headed, imperfect child. But he does... every day.
There's a little song I learned growing up that says, "Count your blessings name them one by one. Count your blessing see what God has done..." When I stop to do that, I am in awe. What joy to begin to understand the depth of his love for us. What joy to be the recipient of gifts from the one who holds the whole world in his hands. Gifts he gives freely. Gifts with no strings attached. Gifts we don't deserve. Gifts we don't even know we need yet. And all because he loves us so very much!
What about you? Have you counted your blessings to see what He has done?
#68 - the indescribable gift of his love!
"Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need." - Matthew 6:33