Awe - CHRISTIAN REP

He Knows…

Marie — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 21:23:35 +0000

Ps. 139:1 Oh, Lord, thou hast searched me and known me….

I’m often amazed at the thought that even though the Lord knows me, that HE still chooses to love me. Me….. a little ole nobody with fearful tendencies and so far from child like faith, it’s scary.

He knows when I’m discouraged, when I feel alone, defeated and depressed.

He knows when I’m at a loss of words to pray and when I can’t even cry out to Him.

He knows when confusion has darkened the path and I can’t even begin to see a flicker of light.

He knows when I can’t lift my head and even utter, help me Lord.

He knows when I want to spend a day saying thank you for my many blessings, but I end up crying through the tears, thank you for being there Lord.

He knows when my heart is screaming I need wisdom, direction and peace and I wonder when it will come.

He knows when I can’t take “it” anymore and He waits for me to leave it at HIS feet.

He knows….

So, I wonder, why do I not leave “it” there? Why do I carry these burdens, doubts and fears? Why, when I know that HE will carry the burdens and ME too.

When I can’t do this, when I can’t take another step, when I can’t stop the tears or see the light – HE KNOWS and he chooses to love me anyway, wait for me anyway and pour mercy and grace out on me so that the JOY of the LORD can be my strength. (Neh. 8:10)

He has created me to be exactly who I am. He has worked all things together for good for me in the past and will continue to do so.

I will continue to be in awe that even though he KNOWS me, He LOVES me.

How about you?

HE knows you and chooses to love you.

That is awesome! Don’t you think?

{HUGS} yall

@spreadingJOY

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Amazing God

Mike Messerli — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 20:31:08 +0000

Yesterday we had our first snow of the winter in Texas. The flakes were huge, wet and sticky. Of course, here in Texas that means car wrecks, schools closed and other problems, but the snow itself was beautiful.

Science has looked at snow one flake at a time and found that each flake is different, each one is unique. To know that the millions of snowflakes I saw yesterday are each unique and different causes me to be in awe of God’s creativity. Even in these small little snowflakes God is showing us his creativity and beauty. He is an amazing God.

I wonder, as I see all these little things that declare design and creativity, how anyone could deny God, but we do. Yesterday I preached the second week of a short series looking at Romans 9-11. It’s a challenging passage. One of the topics in this passage is how we harden our hearts to God’s work.

A story that shows this is the story of John 11. In this chapter, to be brief, Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead. That should get your attention, but here’s the different responses from those who saw this once in a lifetime miracle. “Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.”

Some believed, but there were some who hardened their hearts to the evidence of God’s work in their presence. Today, in Texas, snow gave evidence to an amazing God. I hope you don’t miss his work in our midst. I hope you don’t miss him.

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Steep Grade Ahead

Brett — Sun, 23 May 2010 13:00:41 +0000

Steep grade ahead, in the wilderness great

where God’s voice whispers through aspens and pines

our hearts will not miss a beat for we know what is at stake

through strife, we will find a blessing for all times.

for years to come we will look back on these days,

and remember God’s beauty, which is ours to find.

As the low clouds shifted and moved to the south

The snowy mountain peak was revealed

ten hours we had been confined

en route to where our true journey would begin.

Our excitement grew in an instant

the pines framed the sight

we paused to take in its beauty

and pondered what the journey would be like

The peak seemed close at hand

as we stood there in awe.

Intoxicated by the view, before we began

the long treacherous climb, to answer our call.

In actuality the mountain was a ways,

our feet would have to carry us a long distance yet

to reach our goal in the coming days

we would not be deterred, in our wilderness dance

Steep grade ahead, in the wilderness great

where God’s voice whispers through aspens and pines

our hearts will not miss a beat for we know what is at stake

through strife, we will find a blessing for all times.

for years to come we will look back on these days,

and remember God’s beauty, which is ours to find.

We had our gear,

our souls were not dead.

we had trained, but were we prepared,

for there was a steep grade ahead.

Our beautiful goal had us in a trance

as we stood our ground and took in the view.

The mountain trail invited us to dance

in hopes that our souls would soon renew

Headwaters start anew, just below the ridge line

Soon we will stand above and take a long hard gaze

and view God’s earth as seen before our time.

Cold, but not alone, atop the ridge are our best days.

In time thereafter, we must descend,

for there is witness and the work of our lives,

families, and responsibilities to which we must attend

But standing atop the mountain ridge, we are revived.

Steep grade ahead, in the wilderness great

where God’s voice whispers through aspens and pines

our hearts will not miss a beat for we know what is at stake

through strife, we will find a blessing for all times.

for years to come we will look back on these days,

and remember God’s beauty, which is ours to find.

By Philip Mack Furlow

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