Perfectly Loved

"Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine." - Psalm 33:18-19

"For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 8:38-39

"Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all." - II Thessalonians 3:16

Dear God, 

Your love is perfect. Your love never fails. Nothing can ever separate me from Your love. You watch over those who put their hope in Your love. I will have problems, but You will always be with me, and I will always be perfectly loved. 

Thank You.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen

I Will Go Before You

"It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed." - Deuteronomy 31:8

"For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." - Ephesians 3:14-19

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love." - I John 4:18

Dear God, 

You will go before me. You will be with me. I should not be afraid. I should not worry. You love me. You are everywhere all the time. No matter what is going on, You will be with me. I can be brave and bold because You are with me. Fear and worry doesn't belong. Your perfect love takes away fear. Right now, God, I present to You with my fears and worries. The republican monsters are at it again attempting to make healthcare far far worse than the ACA. They want seniors to be charged far more than they already are. They want women to have no care. They want the disabled to have no primary care. And they claim to be doing this in Your name! God, You say You provide. You say You will go before me and be with me. Please show Yourself in a huge way in this matter. Do it not just for me. Do it for the least of these. 

Thank You.

In Jesus' Name, 

Amen

It Really Is Unconditional

Deuteronomy 33:27 - The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms. And he thrust out the enemy before you and said, Destroy.

Psalm 13:5 - But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. 

I John 4:15-18 - Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

Dear God, thank You for love so perfect, love that is unconditional no matter what I do or what I feel. Thank You. Now if only those who claim to be Your children could really evidence that kind of love for each other and for others as well. Thank You. In Jesus' Name, Amen!

Soak in My Love

Psalm 139:1-4, 23-24 - O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

I John 4:18 - There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 

Dear God, thank You God for Your perfect love. It really does drive out fear. Thank You God for giving me the words I need for my letter. Now give me the opportunity to write it and the courage to send it. And prepare him to respond in kind. Prepare his heart for the truth that he will need to learn in the next few weeks. And may we both learn how to forgive even in what seems to be the most difficult of cases. Thank You God for perfect love. In Jesus' Name, Amen!

Constantly and Perfectly Loved

Psalm 34:5 - Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.

Ephesians 2:1-10 - And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience–among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by ntpature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ–by grace you have been saved–and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Hebrews 3:1-2 -  Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God's house.

Dear God, when I got stung by the wasp on Friday, I thought there was no way You loved me. That wasp, your creation, was mean to me. He was hateful to me. He hurt me. But in that, I see where wasps can be like people. People turn on each other other the stupidest things sometimes. Instead of exercising love and grace with each other and listening to them, they sting. But You love is every day, all the time. You live us when we feel fat and ugly or when we feel beautiful and smart. You live us even when we beat ourselves up. Perfect love. May there be more of it. Thank You, God, for loving me even when I feel unworthy of being loved. In Jesus' Name, Amen!