If Only God Would Show Me He Loved Me.
Isn't it funny how we like to tell God what He can and cannot do?
On the way home from work I was struck by something that was said on the radio. People often say they would come to Christ if only God would show them that He loved them.
Apparently the cross wasn't a big enough sign (I'm sure Jesus would say it was BIG ENOUGH).
It got me thinking of they old saying "Wanna hear God laugh? Tell Him your plans." It amazes me how many people think they can run things better than God. Telling God that his rules don't work for today's culture, or that HE DOESN'T KNOW what is really going on in the World much less some one's personal life.
God is either God of all or He's not much of a God. People want to put Him in a box and bring him out on special occasions. And normally those occasions are filled with bunnies or twinkle lights. It's inconvenient to think that we aren't number one in the grand scheme of things. We blame God for all of the problems, and yet when someone says take those problems to God we make every excuse to prove He's not powerful enough.
The God who created the universe, the earth, and every 'act of God' known to man (or blamed by man) is also the God of little itty bitty ol' you and me. He's been there, done that, got the nail scars to prove it.
Some of us - arguably most of us - are doubting Thomases. We have to put our hands in the nail scarred hands. But to say God has never shown how much He loved you is just not true. God Himself came down as a Man and died on a cross for sins of which he was blameless. He didn't just do it for kicks, and he sure as heck didn't do it because he deserved it or didn't want to. He didn't HAVE to do any of it. But because He loved EVERYONE He did it.
It doesn't end there. There's a catch - in order to GET a GIFT you have to receive and ACCEPT it. It's not just "God loves good people." Yes, God loves good people... but He also loves the not so good. Do you realize Jesus died for people like Osama Bin Laden and Hitler? He knew those acts of hate and terror would happen, and He still extended the gift.
Do you realize there's not spiritual difference between me and the men mentioned above? The only difference is I've received the gift, I've repented and turned and am looking at Christ. That's the difference.
God's love is extended and given to all. He wants his forgiveness to be the same, but you have to ask for it. You have to be willing to sacrifice yourself for it. You have to show God you mean it.
You don't get into Heaven for the good you do. You get to Heaven based on belief... the good stuff you do as a believer isn't to rack up points, it's BECAUSE you are working to be MORE LIKE CHRIST... again, not for goodies on earth or in Heaven... but because you want to share Christ's love with all.
That's what the Love of God is - selfless...
again just the ramblings in my head...
On the way home from work I was struck by something that was said on the radio. People often say they would come to Christ if only God would show them that He loved them.
Apparently the cross wasn't a big enough sign (I'm sure Jesus would say it was BIG ENOUGH).
It got me thinking of they old saying "Wanna hear God laugh? Tell Him your plans." It amazes me how many people think they can run things better than God. Telling God that his rules don't work for today's culture, or that HE DOESN'T KNOW what is really going on in the World much less some one's personal life.
God is either God of all or He's not much of a God. People want to put Him in a box and bring him out on special occasions. And normally those occasions are filled with bunnies or twinkle lights. It's inconvenient to think that we aren't number one in the grand scheme of things. We blame God for all of the problems, and yet when someone says take those problems to God we make every excuse to prove He's not powerful enough.
The God who created the universe, the earth, and every 'act of God' known to man (or blamed by man) is also the God of little itty bitty ol' you and me. He's been there, done that, got the nail scars to prove it.
Some of us - arguably most of us - are doubting Thomases. We have to put our hands in the nail scarred hands. But to say God has never shown how much He loved you is just not true. God Himself came down as a Man and died on a cross for sins of which he was blameless. He didn't just do it for kicks, and he sure as heck didn't do it because he deserved it or didn't want to. He didn't HAVE to do any of it. But because He loved EVERYONE He did it.
It doesn't end there. There's a catch - in order to GET a GIFT you have to receive and ACCEPT it. It's not just "God loves good people." Yes, God loves good people... but He also loves the not so good. Do you realize Jesus died for people like Osama Bin Laden and Hitler? He knew those acts of hate and terror would happen, and He still extended the gift.
Do you realize there's not spiritual difference between me and the men mentioned above? The only difference is I've received the gift, I've repented and turned and am looking at Christ. That's the difference.
God's love is extended and given to all. He wants his forgiveness to be the same, but you have to ask for it. You have to be willing to sacrifice yourself for it. You have to show God you mean it.
You don't get into Heaven for the good you do. You get to Heaven based on belief... the good stuff you do as a believer isn't to rack up points, it's BECAUSE you are working to be MORE LIKE CHRIST... again, not for goodies on earth or in Heaven... but because you want to share Christ's love with all.
That's what the Love of God is - selfless...
again just the ramblings in my head...