Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Steadfast Love

Looking back at my previous posts, I'm jealous. I'm jealous of how great I felt this summer and I want to be there again. I grew so much closer to my creator, just as I prayed to happen...and look at me I've let that slide again. Thank you to a God who relentlessly pursues my heart even when I so often forget him in the midst of my "busy" life. I am never off-duty from my relationship with God, and I'm thankful that He doesn't hold my forgetfulness against me. So in light of Thanksgiving being last week... I'm thankful for my loving, forgiving, merciful, gracious and awesome God.

Reading Psalm 5 today was a huge blessing to me and also really convicting. Seriously, God is SO GOOD. I can never read of his love for me too many times. I can never read of His abundant love toward me in order that I can have a relationship with Him despite my sinful nature.

Psalm 5
For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness;
    with you, evil people are not welcome.
The arrogant cannot stand
    in your presence.
You hate all who do wrong;
    you destroy those who tell lies.
The bloodthirsty and deceitful
    you, Lord, detest.
But I, by your great love,
    can come into your house;
in reverence I bow down
    toward your holy temple.


God's word is clear that He does not put up with wickedness or anything evil. He is constantly punishing Israel for their disobedience. God hates evil and anyone who commits evil can NOT stand before him on their own. Lies are not permissible and those who are bloodthirsty and deceitful are abhorred by the Lord. So how do I stand a chance when my own heart is so wicked? My life is worth nothing without the love of God, so how can my life be anything but an exaltation and a worthy sacrifice unto Him?

There have to be practical ways to live this out. Well, right now it's the home stretch for finals and I'm really really hating being back at school after Thanksgiving break. But you know what, this is also a lot to be thankful for and I'm not using it as a chance to glorify God and thank Him for his blessings. So, there has to be a change. There has to be, in light of the glorious blessings that God has given me by his saving grace, a change in my attitude towards school right now. So that is my thanksgiving to Christmas resolution... to look at nothing without the lens of what my loving God who pursues me in every aspect of my life does for me every day.