skip to main |
skip to sidebar
by Audrey Wauson
My son is a wonderful father to my precious granddaughter. He plays with her, changes her, cleans her up, feeds her, he’s just a great dad. One of the highlights of his day is coming home, because his precious little girl waits for him by the door and then squeals with delight when he walks in the door. She holds her little hands up, expectant smile on her face, longing just to be held in her daddy’s arms.
Recently however, my son’s heart is being tested. Some days when he comes home his brother walks in the door with him. He is the new fascination of our granddaughter. So, first she wants to be picked up and hugged by her daddy, then, she reaches for her uncle and wants for him to hold and play with her. This has been rather difficult for my son. He is after all her daddy. He’s the one who pays for her every need. He’s the one who cares for her daily. He’s the one who will sacrifice anything and everything he has for her well-being as well as for her delight. And she’s now turning her attention to her uncle.
I don’t want to make too much of this analogy. However, follow me for a bit. Our Father, our Heavenly Father, has given us everything. We literally have nothing without Him, we are nothing without Him. He has plans for us, plans that will prosper us and not harm us, plans to give us a hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11) In fact, our Dad was so intent on giving us a future that He sacrificed His first-born Son, He literally allowed Him to be killed in a brutal horrible way, so that we could have a future with Him, so that we could have life now! (John 3:16)
But sometimes we get distracted by other things, other people. We allow other things to come first in our hearts. We throw some token attention to God, like … we go to church Sunday morning or we read a devotional a couple of times a week. Then we’re off to our hobbies, our TV shows, or friends. But what He’s after is our hearts. It’s not that He doesn’t want us to have friends or do other things … but He says that He’s a jealous God … He’s says that there is none like Him … He’s calling us, reminding us, admonishing us … “Get to know Me, spend time with Me and get to know My heart.”
“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously,
and He will give you everything you need.” Matthew 6:33
by Barbara Chadwick
God is the one who knows my name. He doesn't say, "You, down there, with the birthmark on your ear." or, "You! Yes, you. You know who I'm talking to!" or, "Will the one who called me at 2:29 AM with a weary load on her heart, stand up?" No! He knows MY name. I am fearfully and wonderfully made by HIM. He knows my weary loads and the things I fret about. He knows it's ME when I joyfully come praising His Name and He knows it is ME that occasionally puts Him on a shelf to pursue selfish ambitions. He also knows it's ME when I come with a heavy burden or bug request, in fact, He knew my burden even before I asked. He loves me with an incredible and everlasting love. He knows my heart and He knows my name.
In Exodus 33:17 (NIV) God says to Moses: "I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name."
Isaiah 43:1b-3 (NIV) "But now, this is what the Lord says - He who created you, O Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel." (Insert your own name instead of Jacob or Israel, i.e. "He who created you, Barbara and He who formed you, Audrey") "FEAR NOT, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior."
John 10:27-29 (NIV) "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. Did your brain hear that? "NO ONE CAN SNATCH THEM OUT OF MY HAND!"
by Audrey Wauson
My son is a wonderful father to my precious granddaughter. He plays with her, changes her, cleans her up, feeds her, he’s just a great dad. One of the highlights of his day is coming home, because his precious little girl waits for him by the door and then squeals with delight when he walks in the door. She holds her little hands up, expectant smile on her face, longing just to be held in her daddy’s arms.
Recently however, my son’s heart is being tested. Some days when he comes home his brother walks in the door with him. He is the new fascination of our granddaughter. So, first she wants to be picked up and hugged by her daddy, then, she reaches for her uncle and wants for him to hold and play with her. This has been rather difficult for my son. He is after all her daddy. He’s the one who pays for her every need. He’s the one who cares for her daily. He’s the one who will sacrifice anything and everything he has for her well-being as well as for her delight. And she’s now turning her attention to her uncle.
I don’t want to make too much of this analogy. However, follow me for a bit. Our Father, our Heavenly Father, has given us everything. We literally have nothing without Him, we are nothing without Him. He has plans for us, plans that will prosper us and not harm us, plans to give us a hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11) In fact, our Dad was so intent on giving us a future that He sacrificed His first-born Son, He literally allowed Him to be killed in a brutal horrible way, so that we could have a future with Him, so that we could have life now! (John 3:16)
But sometimes we get distracted by other things, other people. We allow other things to come first in our hearts. We throw some token attention to God, like … we go to church Sunday morning or we read a devotional a couple of times a week. Then we’re off to our hobbies, our TV shows, or friends. But what He’s after is our hearts. It’s not that He doesn’t want us to have friends or do other things … but He says that He’s a jealous God … He’s says that there is none like Him … He’s calling us, reminding us, admonishing us … “Get to know Me, spend time with Me and get to know My heart.”
“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously,
and He will give you everything you need.” Matthew 6:33
