Reason #359
It's my favorite day, Sunday! The first Sunday of 2013, and it was an exceptionally good one. I was really overwhelmed by God's love, again, today. This has become a normal reoccurance, and I'm always amazed at how great His love is for us.
This morning we finished studying the book of Hosea in Sunday school. There was so much packed into the last 2 chapters that I could blog a few days about what God taught me through them as I prepared for the lesson. But the biggest conclusion I drew from those passages was how mericful and gracious God is. How He wants so desperately to give us abundant and full life. He desires to pour out His blessings on us. But our flesh gets in the way and we fall on our faces. And I'm grateful that all we have to do is come before Him and just tell Him what's wrong. Maybe we need to ask for forgiveness or maybe we just need to ask for help. It doesn't matter what we ask for, we can ask knowing in full confidence that He will turn things around and restore us.
The people of Israel had messed up big time. Some more than others, probably, but they were all facing the consequences of sin. Our sin is far reaching, and we aren't always the only one who pays for it, either. But God promised them that if they would just return to Him, turn from their ways and be faithful to follow Him, He would heal them. Whatever sin was affecting their lives would be washed away and they would be restored. And the incredible thing is, they would not only be fully restored but restored to an even better state. How gracious is our, God, seriously?! And He wasn't going to make them wait for it. No, the moment they asked, He would do it. He would turn things around for them and obviously so. They would know it, others would know it, but until they asked, it wasn't going to happen.
And this is why I love the Lord and I love His word so much. Because I see myself in the book of Hosea. In the midst of destruction and a crumbling world all I had to do was ask. Just ask for healing. Confess that I couldn't do it without Him and then allow Him to begin redeeeming and restoring my life. And God did it!
So Sunday school ended and it was time to head downstairs for "big church." My college pastor, Bruce, and his wife, Rita, were in town for the weekend. I was so grateful that I got to see them and hug their necks. I love these two to absolute pieces. I took Aaron over to meet them and as he shook Rita's hand, she said, "Aaron, we've been praying for you long before you were here." And it's true, we had, she had. And as we walked back to our seats, another sweet couple, the Wolfe's, came to sit by us. Tammy Wolfe showed up in my life at such a divinely appointed time and was such a sweet source of joy as she let me come to her home every Saturday morning and encouraged me. And I sat there in the service, sandwhiched between the Wolfe's and Aaron, surrounded by all of my sweet, new friends and I thought my heart was going to burst from gratitude. Because a year ago, I would have never expected to be here. A year ago, I finally worked up enough courage to go back to church by myself, sneak in and sit at the very back alone, try my best to blend in while there, and then head straight home as soon as it was over. A year ago, I never would have thought that God would use me in the way He has, fill my life with all of the good things He has, and restore me to an even better state than I could have ever asked or imagined for myself.
We sang a song this morning called "You are Able." And He is! He is able to do anything. We may not see how, understand why, know when, or think it possible but God is able. There is nothing He cannot do. And, as I've seen in my own life, when it comes to His children, God will move mountains to make things happen. God is on our side. We may have to wait, we may have to be in the desert for a while, but God is able to deliver us from any situation. There is no wound He cannot heal. He is able to rescue us from anything. Nothing is too broken for Him to fix, nothing is too far gone for Him to redeem. God is able! And so we can go to Him and ask anything knowing full well that He is able. Able to take care of us, of our needs, of our hearts and desires, and He wants to. He wants to save the day for us, if only we'll ask Him and let Him. After all, there's a reason we call Him Savior, and I'm thankful to serve a Savior who is able!
#359 - Because God is able.
"In just a short time he will restore us, so that we may live in his presence.Oh, that we might know the Lord! Let us press on to know him. He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of rains in early spring.” - Hosea 6:2-3
(I wanted to share this song with you but this is the only version I could find, so please excuse the silly photos.)
This morning we finished studying the book of Hosea in Sunday school. There was so much packed into the last 2 chapters that I could blog a few days about what God taught me through them as I prepared for the lesson. But the biggest conclusion I drew from those passages was how mericful and gracious God is. How He wants so desperately to give us abundant and full life. He desires to pour out His blessings on us. But our flesh gets in the way and we fall on our faces. And I'm grateful that all we have to do is come before Him and just tell Him what's wrong. Maybe we need to ask for forgiveness or maybe we just need to ask for help. It doesn't matter what we ask for, we can ask knowing in full confidence that He will turn things around and restore us.
The people of Israel had messed up big time. Some more than others, probably, but they were all facing the consequences of sin. Our sin is far reaching, and we aren't always the only one who pays for it, either. But God promised them that if they would just return to Him, turn from their ways and be faithful to follow Him, He would heal them. Whatever sin was affecting their lives would be washed away and they would be restored. And the incredible thing is, they would not only be fully restored but restored to an even better state. How gracious is our, God, seriously?! And He wasn't going to make them wait for it. No, the moment they asked, He would do it. He would turn things around for them and obviously so. They would know it, others would know it, but until they asked, it wasn't going to happen.
And this is why I love the Lord and I love His word so much. Because I see myself in the book of Hosea. In the midst of destruction and a crumbling world all I had to do was ask. Just ask for healing. Confess that I couldn't do it without Him and then allow Him to begin redeeeming and restoring my life. And God did it!
So Sunday school ended and it was time to head downstairs for "big church." My college pastor, Bruce, and his wife, Rita, were in town for the weekend. I was so grateful that I got to see them and hug their necks. I love these two to absolute pieces. I took Aaron over to meet them and as he shook Rita's hand, she said, "Aaron, we've been praying for you long before you were here." And it's true, we had, she had. And as we walked back to our seats, another sweet couple, the Wolfe's, came to sit by us. Tammy Wolfe showed up in my life at such a divinely appointed time and was such a sweet source of joy as she let me come to her home every Saturday morning and encouraged me. And I sat there in the service, sandwhiched between the Wolfe's and Aaron, surrounded by all of my sweet, new friends and I thought my heart was going to burst from gratitude. Because a year ago, I would have never expected to be here. A year ago, I finally worked up enough courage to go back to church by myself, sneak in and sit at the very back alone, try my best to blend in while there, and then head straight home as soon as it was over. A year ago, I never would have thought that God would use me in the way He has, fill my life with all of the good things He has, and restore me to an even better state than I could have ever asked or imagined for myself.
We sang a song this morning called "You are Able." And He is! He is able to do anything. We may not see how, understand why, know when, or think it possible but God is able. There is nothing He cannot do. And, as I've seen in my own life, when it comes to His children, God will move mountains to make things happen. God is on our side. We may have to wait, we may have to be in the desert for a while, but God is able to deliver us from any situation. There is no wound He cannot heal. He is able to rescue us from anything. Nothing is too broken for Him to fix, nothing is too far gone for Him to redeem. God is able! And so we can go to Him and ask anything knowing full well that He is able. Able to take care of us, of our needs, of our hearts and desires, and He wants to. He wants to save the day for us, if only we'll ask Him and let Him. After all, there's a reason we call Him Savior, and I'm thankful to serve a Savior who is able!
#359 - Because God is able.
"In just a short time he will restore us, so that we may live in his presence.Oh, that we might know the Lord! Let us press on to know him. He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of rains in early spring.” - Hosea 6:2-3
(I wanted to share this song with you but this is the only version I could find, so please excuse the silly photos.)