"He will cover you with His pinions, And under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark."
~Psalm 91:4
Have you ever felt like your faith was so low that you couldn't even muster up enough to say a prayer? I have been in that position. Sometimes, things in life go wrong and they can get us down. We get depressed, we get emotional, we begin to wonder why, why, why? But no matter how low our faith gets, we can always depend on the Lord's faithfulness being completely full. God does not waver, and His love and compassion for us is always full as well.
We were created by God for good works (Ephesians 2:10), and God doesn't make mistakes. We are called into His glorious light for good works and it is because of God's faithfulness that we have that opportunity.
"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9)."
It can be easy to falter in the face of day to day life. We each have our own struggles in life, and on top of that, we are faced with worldwide struggles that we can neither control or fix. From the outside, life can seem hopeless but when we are led by God's Spirit, we have His hope within us.
"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful (Hebrews 10:23)."
No matter what life throws at us, no matter how difficult a situation may seem, or how hopeless we feel, we can depend upon the Lord to carry us through. His faithfulness never fails.
“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22:23)."
Read
Numbers 34-36
Deuteronomy 1:1-3:11
A Year of Blessings by Marie McGaha ©2018
"For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6)."
Tuesday, March 13, 2018
Friday, March 9, 2018
Shut Doors
"And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them."
~Acts 16:6-10
Have you ever wanted to do something but no matter how hard you tried, it seemed as if everything that could go wrong did, and you wound up accomplishing nothing? I'm an idea person. I have a million ideas a day. In fact, I begin sentences with, "I have an idea..." so often, my husband cringes!
I imagine my tombstone will read:
Marie "I Have An Idea" McGaha
I have a lot of good ideas. But sometimes, my ideas sound better in my head than when I actually say them. And sometimes, my good ideas don't turn out like I planned. And sometimes, even my good ideas fall flat. It's discouraging but it also makes me stop and consider why a good idea failed.
"The steps of a man are established by the Lord when he delights in His way (Psalm 37:23)."
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths (Proverbs 3:5-6)."
As in the above verse from the Book of Acts, Paul attempted to go to certain areas and preach the gospel, but he was stopped by the Lord. We aren't told why he was kept from going to the other places, but we see how Paul's footsteps were directed by the Lord to Macedonia instead. Paul could have been stubborn, refused to heed God's direction and gone to his original destination. But what might the outcome have been?
Have you tried to do something you wanted to do in spite of warnings from friends or family? I imagine if Paul had gone his own way, there's a number of things that could've befallen him. He could've been attacked for preaching the gospel; imprisoned, or killed. In Paul's day, preaching the Messiah to Jewish believers wasn't always well received.
Not every idea is good for us. Not every plan is going to work out. We must pray and seek godly counsel before we jump into anything, no matter how great we think it will turn out. God shuts doors for a reason, and even though we may not understand why, we can be assured it's always for our good and His glory.
"All things are lawful, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful, but not all things build up (1 Corinthians 10:23)."
Read
Numbers 26:35-29
1 Chronicles 7:20-29
Weekend reading:
Numbers 30-33
A Year of Blessings by Marie McGaha ©2018
~Acts 16:6-10
Have you ever wanted to do something but no matter how hard you tried, it seemed as if everything that could go wrong did, and you wound up accomplishing nothing? I'm an idea person. I have a million ideas a day. In fact, I begin sentences with, "I have an idea..." so often, my husband cringes!
I imagine my tombstone will read:
Marie "I Have An Idea" McGaha
I have a lot of good ideas. But sometimes, my ideas sound better in my head than when I actually say them. And sometimes, my good ideas don't turn out like I planned. And sometimes, even my good ideas fall flat. It's discouraging but it also makes me stop and consider why a good idea failed.
"The steps of a man are established by the Lord when he delights in His way (Psalm 37:23)."
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths (Proverbs 3:5-6)."
As in the above verse from the Book of Acts, Paul attempted to go to certain areas and preach the gospel, but he was stopped by the Lord. We aren't told why he was kept from going to the other places, but we see how Paul's footsteps were directed by the Lord to Macedonia instead. Paul could have been stubborn, refused to heed God's direction and gone to his original destination. But what might the outcome have been?
Have you tried to do something you wanted to do in spite of warnings from friends or family? I imagine if Paul had gone his own way, there's a number of things that could've befallen him. He could've been attacked for preaching the gospel; imprisoned, or killed. In Paul's day, preaching the Messiah to Jewish believers wasn't always well received.
Not every idea is good for us. Not every plan is going to work out. We must pray and seek godly counsel before we jump into anything, no matter how great we think it will turn out. God shuts doors for a reason, and even though we may not understand why, we can be assured it's always for our good and His glory.
"All things are lawful, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful, but not all things build up (1 Corinthians 10:23)."
Read
Numbers 26:35-29
1 Chronicles 7:20-29
Weekend reading:
Numbers 30-33
A Year of Blessings by Marie McGaha ©2018
Thursday, March 8, 2018
Guard Your Mind
"A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back."
~Proverbs 29:11
You've heard that a mind is a terrible thing to waste, but it can also be a dangerous place to hang out. Have you ever had something happen that probably wasn't a big deal but you dwelled on it; or obsessed about something you said; or what someone else may have said about something you said or did until it had grown in your mind and you became depressed, anxious, or angry?
Our minds are a playground for disaster if we don't understand how to control our thoughts, or how to deal with those thoughts when we do have them. It is normal for us to replay events in our minds, especially if we are in a position to influence others. A person who gives an important presentation to executives for instance may replay the event, and instead of remembering the great points they made, they remember everything they 'should have' said instead.
Dwelling on these types of thoughts can lead to self-criticism, condemnation, and depression. We can wind up paralyzed into not wanting to go forward, or face those we think we've let down because we think we have failed. But this is a trick of the devil, who wants us to fail completely.
"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7)."
Everything we do, every move we make, every word we say, begins in our minds. It's there that we must exercise godly wisdom and control. I often tell my children and grandchildren, "Just because it's in your head, doesn't mean it has to come out of your mouth." And just because it's in our heads, doesn't mean we have to act or dwell on it. Not everything we think is good for us.
"If indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:21-24)."
Our minds are a terrible thing to waste on thoughts that defeat our growth and progress in life. We have to control what we think about ourselves, believing what God says about us instead of what the world says.
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm (Ephesians 6:10-13)."
Read
Numbers 22:1-26:34
1 Chronicles 7:13-19
A Year of Blessings by Marie McGaha ©2018
Everything we do, every move we make, every word we say, begins in our minds. It's there that we must exercise godly wisdom and control. I often tell my children and grandchildren, "Just because it's in your head, doesn't mean it has to come out of your mouth." And just because it's in our heads, doesn't mean we have to act or dwell on it. Not everything we think is good for us.
"If indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:21-24)."
Our minds are a terrible thing to waste on thoughts that defeat our growth and progress in life. We have to control what we think about ourselves, believing what God says about us instead of what the world says.
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm (Ephesians 6:10-13)."
Read
Numbers 22:1-26:34
1 Chronicles 7:13-19
A Year of Blessings by Marie McGaha ©2018
Tuesday, March 6, 2018
An Inconvenient Truth
"Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in Your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.
~Psalm 139:16
I have given birth to seven children, which was a miracle considering I have also miscarried that same number of times. Each loss of pregnancy was heart-wrenching and devastating. I feel the same way about every child that is lost due to abortion. I believe abortion is murder and the worst kind of murder. It's the murder of an innocent baby, no different than if someone puts a gun to a toddler's head and pulls the trigger or wraps their hands around a six year old's neck and squeezes the life from them. In fact, I think the same people who perform abortions might be outraged over someone murdering an innocent child. Yet, about 3,000 innocent children are murdered daily in abortion clinics nation wide.
In spite of that, I do not want to stand on my soapbox and scream, "Ban abortion!" I remember the days before Roe v. Wade when back alley abortions killed women, and when women tried to perform their own abortions with knitting needles and coat hangers. No one should die because they feel they've made a mistake they absolutely cannot live with.
On the other hand, I believe in the sanctity of life, and that we are all created by God. "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you...(Jeremiah 1:5)." We are created in God's image, and we are loved beyond measure by Him. So what is the answer?
We live in a fallen world and until that changes, there is no solution that will please everyone. Ultimately, I would like to see abortion clinics close because there is no reason for them. I would like to see abstinence prevail so there are no "unwanted" pregnancies. I would like to see hearts and minds turn to God and away from the lusts of this world.
"Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28)."
Jesus is the answer. No matter what question we have, Jesus is the answer. No child should be murdered because they are an inconvenience. There are alternative decisions that saves lives.
"Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these' (Matthew 19:14)."
Read Numbers 19-21
A Year of Blessings by Marie McGaha ©2018
in Your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.
~Psalm 139:16
I have given birth to seven children, which was a miracle considering I have also miscarried that same number of times. Each loss of pregnancy was heart-wrenching and devastating. I feel the same way about every child that is lost due to abortion. I believe abortion is murder and the worst kind of murder. It's the murder of an innocent baby, no different than if someone puts a gun to a toddler's head and pulls the trigger or wraps their hands around a six year old's neck and squeezes the life from them. In fact, I think the same people who perform abortions might be outraged over someone murdering an innocent child. Yet, about 3,000 innocent children are murdered daily in abortion clinics nation wide.
In spite of that, I do not want to stand on my soapbox and scream, "Ban abortion!" I remember the days before Roe v. Wade when back alley abortions killed women, and when women tried to perform their own abortions with knitting needles and coat hangers. No one should die because they feel they've made a mistake they absolutely cannot live with.
On the other hand, I believe in the sanctity of life, and that we are all created by God. "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you...(Jeremiah 1:5)." We are created in God's image, and we are loved beyond measure by Him. So what is the answer?
We live in a fallen world and until that changes, there is no solution that will please everyone. Ultimately, I would like to see abortion clinics close because there is no reason for them. I would like to see abstinence prevail so there are no "unwanted" pregnancies. I would like to see hearts and minds turn to God and away from the lusts of this world.
"Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28)."
Jesus is the answer. No matter what question we have, Jesus is the answer. No child should be murdered because they are an inconvenience. There are alternative decisions that saves lives.
"Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these' (Matthew 19:14)."
Read Numbers 19-21
A Year of Blessings by Marie McGaha ©2018
Monday, March 5, 2018
Keep Asking
"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you."
~John 15:7
I have prayed and prayed for some things that I've not seen an answer to. It's very discouraging sometimes not to see our prayers answered, and we can incorrectly assume God is saying "no." Sometimes, God is saying "wait, the timing isn't right." We can be impatient when we are waiting for an answer to prayer and stop praying about that particular thing. But if we are faithful and walk in the ways of the Lord, we can be assured He hears us.
"And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us (1 John 5:14)."
My paternal grandmother was a godly woman who prayed daily for the salvation of her children and grandchildren. She passed away in 1981 without seeing any of us saved. But just because she died didn't mean her prayers went unanswered. Our prayers do not fall on deaf ears when we pray according to the word of God. But a few years later, not only did I come to salvation but so did my mother and then, my father. The Lord continues to honor my grandmother's prayers.
I prayed for my husband's salvation for eighteen years before he came to the Lord, and I continue to pray for my children and and grandchildren to all receive salvation. Whether or not I will see each of them come to the Lord, I don't know. I do know God will answer my prayers for them whether I am here or not.
"The Lord is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous (Proverbs 15:29)."
No matter how long you've been praying without seeing an answer, don't get discouraged or take it to mean God said no, or isn't listening. His timing is not ours, His ways are not ours, but rest assured that He has the perfect plan to answer your prayers. And no matter how it looks, continue to pray (1 Thessalonians 5:17)!
"For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts (Isaiah 55:9)."
Read Numbers 16-18
A Year of Blessings by Marie McGaha ©2018
~John 15:7
I have prayed and prayed for some things that I've not seen an answer to. It's very discouraging sometimes not to see our prayers answered, and we can incorrectly assume God is saying "no." Sometimes, God is saying "wait, the timing isn't right." We can be impatient when we are waiting for an answer to prayer and stop praying about that particular thing. But if we are faithful and walk in the ways of the Lord, we can be assured He hears us.
"And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us (1 John 5:14)."
My paternal grandmother was a godly woman who prayed daily for the salvation of her children and grandchildren. She passed away in 1981 without seeing any of us saved. But just because she died didn't mean her prayers went unanswered. Our prayers do not fall on deaf ears when we pray according to the word of God. But a few years later, not only did I come to salvation but so did my mother and then, my father. The Lord continues to honor my grandmother's prayers.
I prayed for my husband's salvation for eighteen years before he came to the Lord, and I continue to pray for my children and and grandchildren to all receive salvation. Whether or not I will see each of them come to the Lord, I don't know. I do know God will answer my prayers for them whether I am here or not.
"The Lord is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous (Proverbs 15:29)."
No matter how long you've been praying without seeing an answer, don't get discouraged or take it to mean God said no, or isn't listening. His timing is not ours, His ways are not ours, but rest assured that He has the perfect plan to answer your prayers. And no matter how it looks, continue to pray (1 Thessalonians 5:17)!
"For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts (Isaiah 55:9)."
Read Numbers 16-18
A Year of Blessings by Marie McGaha ©2018
Friday, March 2, 2018
Hold Fast
"But He knows the way that I take; when He has tried me, I shall come out as gold. My foot has held fast to His steps; I have kept His way and have not turned aside."
~Job 23:10-11
Job had a few problems in life, and I think we can all relate to one extent or another. Life leads us down some rough paths once in a while. We experience loss in life from the loss of dreams to the loss of jobs, marriages, and loved ones. Nothing is ever certain no matter how carefully we plan, and being a Christian is not an exemption from the pain of life. However, it is a guarantee that God will see us through no matter how rough the storm gets.
"In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:6-7)."
The trials of life test us - our character and our faith, and shows us what we are made of. God allows us to experience the "downs" in life for a couple of reasons: 1) It builds our faith and dependence on God 2) It builds our character 3) It gives us a greater appreciation for the "ups" in life. Going through the valley and climbing the mountain is never easy, but standing on that mountaintop is glorious and exhilarating.
It doesn't matter what you're going through right now, or where you are. Whether you live in the White House, the wrong side of the tracks, or if you're sitting in prison - God is the same everywhere. He is looking for faithfulness that is tried and true, refined by fire and ready to move forward. Wallowing in your past or your misfortune will get you no where in life, or with God. But He also knows our limits, our ability to endure, and He makes a way out even when we can't see one. God wants us to succeed and come through stronger and better than before.
"No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it (1 Corinthians 10:13)."
No weapon formed against you will stand (Isaiah 54:17) when the Lord is on your side. If you have accepted Christ as your Savior, He is always on your side and has a plan for your life. Hold fast to His steps, keep the faith, do not turn aside and your reward will be greater than any you could imagine.
"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world (John 16:33).”
Read Numbers 8-10
(Weekend reading Numbers 11-15
A Year of Blessings by Marie McGaha ©2018
~Job 23:10-11
Job had a few problems in life, and I think we can all relate to one extent or another. Life leads us down some rough paths once in a while. We experience loss in life from the loss of dreams to the loss of jobs, marriages, and loved ones. Nothing is ever certain no matter how carefully we plan, and being a Christian is not an exemption from the pain of life. However, it is a guarantee that God will see us through no matter how rough the storm gets.
"In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:6-7)."
The trials of life test us - our character and our faith, and shows us what we are made of. God allows us to experience the "downs" in life for a couple of reasons: 1) It builds our faith and dependence on God 2) It builds our character 3) It gives us a greater appreciation for the "ups" in life. Going through the valley and climbing the mountain is never easy, but standing on that mountaintop is glorious and exhilarating.
It doesn't matter what you're going through right now, or where you are. Whether you live in the White House, the wrong side of the tracks, or if you're sitting in prison - God is the same everywhere. He is looking for faithfulness that is tried and true, refined by fire and ready to move forward. Wallowing in your past or your misfortune will get you no where in life, or with God. But He also knows our limits, our ability to endure, and He makes a way out even when we can't see one. God wants us to succeed and come through stronger and better than before.
"No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it (1 Corinthians 10:13)."
No weapon formed against you will stand (Isaiah 54:17) when the Lord is on your side. If you have accepted Christ as your Savior, He is always on your side and has a plan for your life. Hold fast to His steps, keep the faith, do not turn aside and your reward will be greater than any you could imagine.
"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world (John 16:33).”
Read Numbers 8-10
(Weekend reading Numbers 11-15
A Year of Blessings by Marie McGaha ©2018
Thursday, March 1, 2018
What Do You Desire?
"Whom have I in Heaven but You? And there is nothing on Earth that I desire besides You.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
~Psalm 73:25-26
Have you ever been in a situation where your knees gave out, your heart beat wildly, your stomach rolled and your blood ran cold? I have and it's a horrible feeling. My adrenaline level was so high, I thought I would pass out because my brain felt as if everything was in slow motion but my body was in hyper overdrive. I know the physiological reasons why it happens - our "old" or primitive brain goes into fight or flight mode and there's a physical response beginning with a huge dump of adrenaline. It happens when we're faced with uncertain or extreme circumstances like being held at gunpoint, getting into a car wreck, or seeing a loved one injured. It can be frightening at the time, but it's a natural response that gets us in motion.
There's another kind of response that also begins in the brain and sends signals to our body when we fall in love. A combination of testosterone, norepinephrine and serotonin all have a contributing role through their neuromodulatory effects upon dopamine and oxytocin that tells us we are in love. While we like to say it's our hearts that fall in love, it's really a chemical reaction in our brains. That aside, we do have a physical reaction to those chemicals: rapid heartbeat, sweaty palms, giggly voices, increased sense of well being, butterflies in our stomachs, etc. All of the things that occur when we are near the object of our affection are what keeps us wanting to be around them.
But what of our love for God? Is that also a chemical reaction in the brain? How do we fall in love with what we can't see or touch? How do we maintain such a relationship?
First, God created all of us to love Him (Isaiah 43:7). He calls us to love Him because He first loved us (1 John 4:19), and He called us into fellowship with Christ (1Corinthians 1:9).
Secondly, God put heavenly purpose into each one of us (Ephesians 2:10). No one was created by mistake (Jeremiah1:5) , no matter what our life circumstances might say. Each one of us was created for God's own glory (Isaiah 43:7) in God's own image ( Genesis 1:26, 5:1-2).
We are special to God, and He treasures us above all of Creation. Learning to look at ourselves and see what God sees might be difficult because this world has beat us down and told us we aren't worthy of that kind of love. But when we see ourselves and others the way God does, we experience a freedom we have never known before. It allows us to shake off the crud of the world that weighs us down and drags us backward.
No matter how our flesh fails, as long as we desire to follow God with all our hearts, He will be our strength forevermore.
"And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:9-14)."
Read Numbers 7
A Year of Blessings by Marie McGaha ©2018
26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
~Psalm 73:25-26
Have you ever been in a situation where your knees gave out, your heart beat wildly, your stomach rolled and your blood ran cold? I have and it's a horrible feeling. My adrenaline level was so high, I thought I would pass out because my brain felt as if everything was in slow motion but my body was in hyper overdrive. I know the physiological reasons why it happens - our "old" or primitive brain goes into fight or flight mode and there's a physical response beginning with a huge dump of adrenaline. It happens when we're faced with uncertain or extreme circumstances like being held at gunpoint, getting into a car wreck, or seeing a loved one injured. It can be frightening at the time, but it's a natural response that gets us in motion.
There's another kind of response that also begins in the brain and sends signals to our body when we fall in love. A combination of testosterone, norepinephrine and serotonin all have a contributing role through their neuromodulatory effects upon dopamine and oxytocin that tells us we are in love. While we like to say it's our hearts that fall in love, it's really a chemical reaction in our brains. That aside, we do have a physical reaction to those chemicals: rapid heartbeat, sweaty palms, giggly voices, increased sense of well being, butterflies in our stomachs, etc. All of the things that occur when we are near the object of our affection are what keeps us wanting to be around them.
But what of our love for God? Is that also a chemical reaction in the brain? How do we fall in love with what we can't see or touch? How do we maintain such a relationship?
First, God created all of us to love Him (Isaiah 43:7). He calls us to love Him because He first loved us (1 John 4:19), and He called us into fellowship with Christ (1Corinthians 1:9).
Secondly, God put heavenly purpose into each one of us (Ephesians 2:10). No one was created by mistake (Jeremiah1:5) , no matter what our life circumstances might say. Each one of us was created for God's own glory (Isaiah 43:7) in God's own image ( Genesis 1:26, 5:1-2).
We are special to God, and He treasures us above all of Creation. Learning to look at ourselves and see what God sees might be difficult because this world has beat us down and told us we aren't worthy of that kind of love. But when we see ourselves and others the way God does, we experience a freedom we have never known before. It allows us to shake off the crud of the world that weighs us down and drags us backward.
No matter how our flesh fails, as long as we desire to follow God with all our hearts, He will be our strength forevermore.
"And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:9-14)."
Read Numbers 7
A Year of Blessings by Marie McGaha ©2018
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