joy, unspesakable joy

i recently read "the shack." take it for what you will, but for the first time it helped me understand that i was created to be in relarionship with God...that means actual relationship. and for the first time i realized that ALL my sins are actually forgiven. i won't be judged in heaven! WOW! that's almost a new concept. i don't live for righteousness so that i can get a "better" place in heaven - i live for righteousness out of love for the one that saved me.

just a thought or two

i guess we don't usually sing the last verse of "Come Thou Fount"...



O that day when freed from sinning,
I shall see Thy lovely face;
Clothed then in blood washed linen
How I’ll sing Thy sovereign grace;
Come, my Lord, no longer tarry,
Take my ransomed soul away;
Send thine angels now to carry
Me to realms of endless day.

to be freed from sin...how beautiful

and mark 10:21, in the parable about the rich young ruler:

²¹And Jesus, looking at him, loved him...

Prayer

you better believe that as things heat up for Czech i'm gonna be asking for more and more prayer, and when i'm living there i'll probably be plaguing you with requests and praise. so as i'm thinking about it and feeling overwhelmed, here's what you can be praying for:

_getting things done...the downside of not being with an organization is that there's so much to get done. we're down to nine months, and we have yet to begin raising support. this has been a good week of getting things accomplished though!

_i'm transitioning into a new (evening) job of tutoring. i'm thankful for changes and new opportunities, but i'd still appreciate prayer as i learn a new job!

_sometimes i feel so burdened for people but don't do anything about it. so...not sure what i should be asking, but pray that i remember to turn to God when i'm feeling burdened.

Bless the Lord

listen:
10,000 Reasons by Matt Redman

and while listening, read Psalm 103:

 ¹ Bless the LORD, O my soul,
   and all that is within me,
   bless his holy name!
² Bless the LORD, O my soul,
   and forget not all his benefits,
³who forgives all your iniquity,
   who heals all your diseases,
⁴who redeems your life from the pit,
   who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
⁵who satisfies you with good
   so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

 ⁶The LORD works righteousness
   and justice for all who are oppressed.
⁷He made known his ways to Moses,
   his  acts to the people of Israel.
⁸The LORD is merciful and gracious,
   slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
⁹ He will not always chide,
   nor will he keep his anger forever.
¹⁰He does not deal with us according to our sins,
   nor repay us according to our iniquities.
¹¹For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
   so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
¹²as far as the east is from the west,
   so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
¹³As a father shows compassion to his children,
   so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.
¹⁴For he knows our frame;
   he remembers that we are dust.

 ¹⁵As for man, his days are like grass;
   he flourishes like a flower of the field;
¹⁶for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
   and its place knows it no more.
¹⁷But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him,
   and his righteousness to children’s children,
¹⁸to those who keep his covenant
   and remember to do his commandments.
¹⁹The LORD has established his throne in the heavens,
   and his kingdom rules over all.

 ²⁰Bless the LORD, O you his angels,
   you mighty ones who do his word,
   obeying the voice of his word!
²¹Bless the LORD, all his hosts,
   his ministers, who do his will!
²² Bless the LORD, all his works,
   in all places of his dominion.
 Bless the LORD, O my soul!

we love because...

why is loving people so hard for me? it is so much easier to look at a person for their faults and mistakes than to view them as being loved and created by God.

i was at a concert this weekend, and at one point i felt God telling me that i don't have to understand his love, but i do have to accept it.

where did that come from?

so i've been thinking about it. definitely my biggest struggle with myself throughout my whole life is feeling like a crappy christian because i'm such a jerk to others sometimes. so many of my prayers and journal entries have been to love others better. and then i realized that i struggle with seeing God as loving. definitely i view him as powerful and mighty and GOOD, and i'm in awe/thankful of how He's mindful of me when he created the whole universe (Jer 31:35, Ps 8:3-4). but i haven't labeled those things as LOVING.

WE LOVE BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US (1 John 4:19)

i don't grasp his love for me. please pray with me that i would accept and see it.

(and sidenote: i struggle a lot with seeing living here on earth as worthless. at this concert they sang "because He lives." one line says "and life is worth the living just because He lives." He lives, He is with me now. life right now is part of my eternal life, and so it is not worthless.)