Not Obligated

My dad fixes everything.  

My husband fixes everything.  

This is how they show their love.  Dull knives get sharpened, squeaky hinges get oiled, loose screws get tightened.  It's what they do.  It's one of the things I love about them!

The little one once said, "Dad has all the tricks that work."  She and her siblings have never worried a day in their life that broken things can't be fixed.  Of course they can!  Dad will do it.  We should have shares in the super glue company by now, he's fixed so many broken things...

I know this could sound like utopia to some.  Trust me, I'm thankful.  I've lost sleep thinking of how utterly incompetent I am to live life without them (but that's a topic for another post).

I understand faithfulness.  

It's not hard for me to believe that God can be counted on to help, to take care of things, to fix the messes we make.

Guess what?  Even with such faithful men to model His love, I still have lots to learn about His nature.  You-know-who will use any means possible to rob us of the joy of Papa's love.

It came to me as a total surprise that Papa God delights in me.  As in, dancing-and-singing-over-you-with-joy delight.

When I unpacked that revelation I realized that I'd been thinking God was faithful to me out of obligation rather than affection.  Unconsciously I believed His thoughts went something like this:  "Of course I'll forgive you, *sigh*, it's what I do because I'm good.  Of course, I'll help you, *sigh*, it's my nature to do it so I must.  *Sigh*."  

In my heart of hearts I believed I was God's duty.

It's such a wild and crazy, hugely breathtaking thought, that I can hardly type it out loud, but it's such good news that I have to say it, "He delights in me!  He delights in you!"

Not because He has to.  Because He wants to.  

Not because of anything you did or didn't do, but just because you're you--His kid.

"He will rejoice over you with great gladness...He will exult over you by singing a happy song."  (Zeph 3:17 NLT)


"I looked forward to your calling me 'Father'."  (Jeremiah 3:19 NLT)

"You are safe in the care of the Lord your God, secure in His treasure pouch."  (1 Sam. 25:29 NLT)

"Now you are my friends...I chose you."  (John 15:15-16 NLT)


The more I learn of His love, the more I love Him!  If I don't share, I might burst!  ;-)

We, though, are going to love - love and be loved.

 First we were loved, now we love. 

He loved us first.

1 John 4:19 MSG

Friends

Adam and Eve lived in a beautiful garden as God's friends.  Then their glorious relationship was smashed to bits by sin.

The results were devastating.  Loneliness.  Insecurity.  Hunger for connection.

Until Jesus came and made a way back into friendship.

"...our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son...so now we can rejoice...because Jesus has made us friends of God."

He is the best of friends.

Friends listen and they speak.

If you've never experienced this kind of friendship with God, just tell Him that you'd like Him to be your friend.

In fact, He's hoping you'll ask...

"If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends."

Talk to Him as you would to a friend and be sure to listen too--He has things He wants to tell you.

"Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets..."

It could have been a lonely day, but it wasn't.  I'm really thankful for His friendship.

"My sheep hear my voice..."


"I have loved you with an everlasting love."


Romans 5:11; Revelation 3:20; Jeremiah 33:3; John 10:27; Jeremiah 31:3

A Case of Mistaken Identity

Someone recently used my credit card on the other side of the continent. They pretended to be me. It was a case of mistaken identity.

Another recent day someone was quite rude to me, treating me as though I'm not actually the beloved daughter of the King. I almost believed it. Another case of mistaken identity.

So much hinges on knowing who we are.

Some days I act like a twit. I'm insensitive and self-centered. Recognition of that fact is uncomfortable and it would be easy to think that my identity is Idiot or Stupid or Failure Again. That's not who I am.

Some days people around me are demanding and unthankful. It would be easy to treat them like that's who they are.

Some days people are dealing with their own stuff and they feel threated, anxious, insecure or jealous and they respond to others with an attitude of, "Who do they think they are??"

There's only one true identifier of who I am and who you are. It's not my opinion and it's not your opinion...it's all about who our Daddy is and what He says about us. He uses words like:

Beloved (2 Thessalonians 2:13)

Treasure (Deuteronomy 7:6, 1Samuel 25:29)

Precious (Isaiah 43:4)

Delight (Isaiah 62:4)

Friend (John 15:15)

Forgiven (Romans 8:1-2)

When my actions contradict those facts I need to apologize--do whatever is required to clean up my mess--but I'm still who He says I am. When the words or actions of others disagree with what He says, I need to forgive them and remind myself of the truth.

I am who He says I am.

You are who He says you are.

Even before he made the world,

God loved us and chose us in Christ

to be holy and without fault in his eyes.

God decided in advance to adopt us

into his own family by bringing us to himself

through Jesus Christ.

This is what he wanted to do,

and it gave him great pleasure

Ephesians 1:4-5

Friends

What do you think of when you think of "friend"? Your answer will have a lot to do with your personality and your love language.

The first thing I think of when I consider my close friends is that they know what I'm really like and they love me anyway. They've seen the good, the bad, and the ugly (Literally--think green facial stuff at sleepovers.). They know my imperfections but love me and honour me as though I'm always at my best. They call me on stuff and give me a boot in the you-know-where when I need it. They make me laugh at myself and challenge me to use my gifts when I might regard those gifts as "less than" or insignificant. I feel really safe when I'm with my friends. I count them as my greatest treasures after God and my family.

On Easter Sunday I was perusing scriptures about the effect of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. I thought on the following verses for a while:

God will also count us as righteous if we believe in him,
the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.
He was handed over to die because of our sins and
he was raised to life to make us right with God.
(Romans 4:24-25)

My heart was filled with awe and worship as I considered all that Christ willingly suffered so that I could be right with God. What an incredible gift. I was aware of His kingly majesty and how His nature is good and holy.

I read further on:

So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship
with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.
(Romans 5:11)

Friends.

Of God.

I was overcome by the intimacy of that phrase. To be made righteous and right with God is an immeasurable gift--to be friends of God is so personal. He didn't go through that tremendous suffering just so I could be ransomed--though that's gift enough!--He also wanted me make me His friend.

He wanted to make us His friends.

The Lord of all creation, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the One who formed mountains, designed a platypus, scattered stars, and created laughter wants to be your friend. He likes you. The fact that you're not perfect isn't news to Him. (He took care of that for you.) He wants to be with you. He wants to laugh with you and comfort you. All that a true friend is, that's what He wants to be for you. The sacrifice that Jesus gave makes it possible. Rest in His love, rejoice in His gift, receive it!