Romancing
While I was reading in Captivating today, something jumped out at me. Several things have been jumping out, but one thing in particular. The chapter I am on is called Romancing and it talks about how God is Romancing your heart. This is directly out of the book:
“Reading George MacDonald several years ago, I (John Eldredge) came across an astounding thought. You’ve probably heard that there is in every human heart a place that God alone can fill. (Lord knows we’ve tried to fill it with every else, to our utter dismay.) But what the old poet was saying was that there is also in God’s heart a place that you alone can fill. ‘It follows that there is also a chamber in God himself, into which none can enter but this one, the individual.” You. You are meant to fill a place in the heart of God no one and nothing can fill. Whoa. He longs for you.”
That thought just AMAZed me! There is a ME shaped hole in God’s heart! And that means that there is a YOU shaped hole in God’s heart! Isn’t that just mind-boggling?
Isaiah 49:16
See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; NIV
Behold, I have indelibly imprinted (tattooed a picture of) you on the palm of each of My hands; Amp
As I have been reading, my heart is swelling with how much my Lover really loves me. And at the same time I think that there is no way in the world I deserve the love that He is giving me. There is no way that I measure up. But God doesn’t want who I want to be; He wants who I really am. Girls, think about your favorite romantic scene in your favorite “chick flick.” Aragorn standing with Arwen in the moonlight on the bridge in Rivendell, Beauty staring into the eyes of a newly changed Beast, Prince Henry coming to rescue Danielle. Now put yourself in the place of the Beauty, and Jesus as the Lover. He has been called our Bridegroom, which basically means Fiancé.
One of the questions that is asked in the book is: How is God romancing you? Think about it. Pray about it. Don’t be afraid to ask, “Jesus how are you romancing me?”
Defending...
Job defends himself against the accusation that was brought upon him. He also confronts God and asks Him, "What's up? Why is this happening to me!?"
Job 13:1-27
1 "My eyes have seen all this,
my ears have heard and understood it.
2 What you know, I also know;
I am not inferior to you.
3 But I desire to speak to the Almighty
and to argue my case with God.
4 You, however, smear me with lies;
you are worthless physicians, all of you!
5 If only you would be altogether silent!
For you, that would be wisdom.
6 Hear now my argument;
listen to the plea of my lips.
7 Will you speak wickedly on God's behalf?
Will you speak deceitfully for him?
8 Will you show him partiality?
Will you argue the case for God?
9 Would it turn out well if he examined you?
Could you deceive him as you might deceive men?
10 He would surely rebuke you
if you secretly showed partiality.
11 Would not his splendor terrify you?
Would not the dread of him fall on you?
12 Your maxims are proverbs of ashes;
your defenses are defenses of clay.
13 "Keep silent and let me speak;
then let come to me what may.
14 Why do I put myself in jeopardy
and take my life in my hands?
15 Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him;
I will surely defend my ways to his face.
16 Indeed, this will turn out for my deliverance,
for no godless man would dare come before him!
17 Listen carefully to my words;
let your ears take in what I say.
18 Now that I have prepared my case,
I know I will be vindicated.
19 Can anyone bring charges against me?
If so, I will be silent and die.
20 "Only grant me these two things, O God,
and then I will not hide from you:
21 Withdraw your hand far from me,
and stop frightening me with your terrors.
22 Then summon me and I will answer,
or let me speak, and you reply.
23 How many wrongs and sins have I committed?
Show me my offense and my sin.
24 Why do you hide your face
and consider me your enemy?
25 Will you torment a windblown leaf?
Will you chase after dry chaff?
26 For you write down bitter things against me
and make me inherit the sins of my youth.
27 You fasten my feet in shackles;
you keep close watch on all my paths
by putting marks on the soles of my feet.
Unfair Accusation
Job 11:14-15 (NIV)
14 if you put away the sin that is in your hand
and allow no evil to dwell in your tent,
15 then you will lift up your face without shame;
you will stand firm and without fear
Zophar, the least tactful of the three friends, made direct accusation against Job, repeating the common refrain that Job was being punished for some sine. In a speech in Chapter 12, Job agreed in principle that God rewards the righteous and punishes the wicked. But in his own case he knew that he was innocent. No matter how convincing their arguments, he had to protest against them. (Study note from the Student Bible, New International Version, Zondervan Publishing House.)
Job's three friends kept on accusing him of some hidden, unknown sin. They were convinced that God was punishing Job because he had sinned. Every time he was accused, Job would come back and say, "No! I am innocent! I have NOT sinned against God! Yes, I Know that He punishes the wicked and rewards the righteous, but I didn't do anything." He says in Job 12:15:
"Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him; I will surely defend my ways to his face." Job is ready to defend himself, but he knows that once he opens his mouth, his tongue will make him guilty (Job 9:20).
Interesting
Job 9:33-35
33 If only there were someone to arbitrate between us,
to lay his hand upon us both,
34 someone to remove God's rod from me,
so that his terror would frighten me no more.
35 Then I would speak up without fear of him,
but as it now stands with me, I cannot. (NIV)
33How I wish we had an arbitrator
to step in and let me get on with life--
34To break God's death grip on me,
to free me from this terror so I could breathe again.
35Then I'd speak up and state my case boldly.
As things stand, there is no way I can do it. (Msg)
33If only there were a mediator who could bring us together, but there is none. 34The mediator could make God stop beating me, and I would no longer live in terror of his punishment. 35Then I could speak to him without fear, but I cannot do that in my own strength. (Amp)
33Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.
34Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me:
35Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.
Job saw that there was a gap between us and God. He wished for someone to stand in that gap and be the mediator. If he only knew that the Father would send us His Son to be the One who would stand between us and God! We now have someone who is there that we can go to. Someone who will go to the throne room and plead our case.
GAH!!
GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!! I deleted the wrong post!!! I only wanted to delete the pictures, not the other one with all the comments! Grrrr. The reason I deleted tehe pictures, is because I am not sure that it is okay. And while you all are okay, I don't want the names and faces of these precious little ones to get into the wrong hands.
And now I don't remember what I was going to say on here.
Whatev...
Boring
Today was really super boring. We had a garage sale and we made a whole whopping $1. From 9am to 4:30pm with a sign that said that all proceeds are going to our missions trip. I guess all our junk is junk to everyone else. Whatev...
