January 10, 2011

Is He Ashamed of You?

But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. 
Hebrews 11:16 (English Standard Version)
Is God ashamed of you? Is He ashamed of me? I find that a very disturbing thought, probably because I have often given Him a good reason to be ashamed of me. Reading this verse as part of my morning prayer and reflection brought some tears to my eyes, as I thought about all He has done for me, and how I often give Him a reason to be ashamed.

And it brought even more tears when I thought that it is love and patience that He shows to me; not anger, not dismay, not frustration at how I behave.

Today I will think a lot about the city He has prepared for me, I will think about how I live and how I need to try to make Him have so much less opportunity to feel ashamed.

January 8, 2011

Desire Meeting Need

I was struck in my readings in the Bible this morning (in Job) and in my prayer and reflection that my relationship with God is based on a beautiful blending of desire and need. His desire, my need.

He desires that I understand enough about Him to live my life in accordance with His will, for that was what He created me for. He doesn't need me to understand Him, nor frankly, does He need to to live according to His will. But I need to. He desires it, and I need it.

He desires that I be with Him for all eternity and sent His Son to die for my sin and make me acceptable in His eyes to spend eternity in His presence. I need that. He desires it, and I need it.

I think it is a most marvelous part of His sovereign will that His desires for me match up with my needs for Him. That as a result I would seek what He so dearly wants me to have. 

And through the death of His Son on my behalf, He made possible, in the only way possible, for my needs to be met most completely.

God's timing and His plans are perfect, for He is sovereign and perfect.

And I am perfectly fine with that.