#nothingisholdingmeback

Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; Unite my heart to fear Your name. Ps 86:11

What does it mean to unite my heart to fear Your name?  All I can think of is the battle that goes on in my heart.  The battle between my love for God and the love of my flesh.  I refer back to what are you willing to give up.  Hmmm, this week I gave up books and TV.  That is huge for me.  I read ALL THE TIME.  Seriously, I will take my phone to the bathroom so I can read.  No place is exempt from my reading.  My parents used to ground me from books.  Reading was my favorite pastime.  For a few hours I could be whisked away to another place and time.  Whether it was Hogwarts to fight the Death Eaters with Harry or join Dautless with Tris or solve crimes with Sherlock, books were my escape from life.  Books wouldn't reject me.  Books would always be my friend and love me.  

I never realized it at the time but that is the same way God is.  The God I was shown by hurting Christians was harsh and judgmental as well as hypocritical. There was no love.  Of course, how could there be love if you are hurting and refuse to surrender to the One who is Love?  His Word says He will not leave us nor forsake us. Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,” Heb 13:5  He is always with us.  Even when it doesn't feel like it, all we have to do is cry out.  I wish I knew then what I know now.  The heartache I would have saved myself.  But I will never regret it - I wouldn't love as much because I have been forgiven of much.  And that is what is the best about God and having a relationship with Him.  He forgives and He forgets. As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. Ps 103:12  How amazing is that?  He knows us so well that we can't hide anything from Him.  AND HE STILL LOVES US!!!   For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom 8:38-39  Too many people think that God will stop loving them for what they do.  His love will never change for us because He loves us for who we are not what we do or don't do.  Can you imagine walking securely in such a love?  Well, I couldn't before but I am going to from this day forward.  Because that is why Jesus dies for our sins.  So we could have a relationship with Someone Who loves us so much that nothing will ever separate us from that love.  Who knows us inside and out.  Who knows what silly thing we will do tomorrow or did today.  And still loves us.  I leave you with this...

O Lord, You have searched me and known me.  You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar.  You scrutinize my path and my lying down, And are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O Lord, You know it all. You have enclosed me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high, I cannot attain to it.

Where can I go from Your Spirit?

Or where can I flee from Your presence?  If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.  If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,  Even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me. If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, And the light around me will be night,” Even the darkness is not dark to You, And the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You.

 For You formed my inward parts;

You wove me in my mother’s womb.  I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.  My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them.