God's Love For You

Mary stood outside the tomb crying .... She turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus...

Jesus said to her, "Mary."

She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher).

Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father.  Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'"  --John 20:11, 14, 16-17

What a wonderful and amazing God we have!  With just one word, Jesus changed everything for Mary.  He quietly and gently said her name.  Once devastated by disappointment, anger, and grief, Mary was now restored to ecstatic joy -- her friend, her teacher, her Lord was alive!  Her world was changed and her life had a new outlook all because of one word, and in that one word Mary knew Jesus cared deeply about her and loved her.

God knows each of you and cares for you just as He cared about Mary.  He knows your name; you belong to Him (Isaiah 43:1).  No matter who you are or what kind of baggage you carry with you, no matter what you look like or feel like, no matter what you do or don't do, God loves you just as you are right now.  You don't have to get your act together, lose ten pounds, run a marathon, write a best selling book, or raise perfect children.  You are an extraordinary woman in His sight right now.

Not only does He love you, He cherished you.  He wants to have a close, loving relationship with you like no one on earth can.  All you have to do is make yourself open and available to spend time with Him and feel His loving arms encircle you.

Encouragement

Somewhere I came across the following:

"Let not this weak, unknowing hand
Presume Thy bolts to throw
And deal damnation round the land
On each I judge Thy foe."
- Alexander Pope

God help us to be more welcoming, less judgmental; more encouraging, less critical.

The widow of George Dempster of London (Finding Men for Christ, Touched By a Loving Hand, The Love That Will Not Let Me Go) wrote me after his death that she was praying God would give her "the ministry of encouragement."

God has blessed certain of His servants with just such a ministry.

John Minder of Florida not only encouraged my husband when a student; he was an encourager to all young preachers who came across his path.

In England, Lindsey Glegg had such a ministry.

And Henrietta Mears of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood had such a ministry.

"More people fail through discouragement,"  someone has observed, "than for any other reason."

*****************  ****************

Most families, it seems to me, have an encourager.  Not necessarily the oldest, youngest, or middle ones.  They seem to have an innate sense of balance, and a good sense of humor.  These two qualities almost invariably go hand in hand.

They are the encouragers.  They keep in touch by note or phone call.  They smooth things over when the going gets a little rough.  They aren't much on sharing their own problems or hurts because they are too busy shouldering those of others.

One family I know invariably turns to the youngest son -- who is steady, unassuming, loyal, with remarkable wit and uncanny discernment.  He is the family rallying point.

Andrew in the New Testament was a bit like this.  He first brought his own brother, Peter to Jesus (John 1:41).  Then when there was no food for the five thousand, Andrew brought the lad with five loaves and two small fishes (John 6:8-9).  When certain Greeks sought to see Jesus, it was Philip and Andrew who told Him.  Andrew was the quiet disciple with the sensitive heart, quick to look for ways to help.

Legacy of a Pack Rat - Ruth Bell Graham

Francesca Alexander - Poem

So her life was full of sunshine,

for in toiling for the Lord

She had found the hidden sweetness

that in common things was stored.

Francesca Alexander

God's Ways

"So do not worry and say, 'What will we eat?' Or 'What will we drink?' Or 'What will we wear?' ... Your Father in heaven knows you need all these things.  But seek His kingdom and His righteous ways first, and all these things will be given also to you" (Matthew 6:31-33).

"From a weary laborer, worn with slavish and ineffectual toil, I had become as a little child receiving from God the free gift of eternal life and of daily sustenance -- and prayer, from a weary spiritual exercise, had become the simple asking from the Heavenly Father of daily bread, and thanking Him."  Elizabeth Rundle Charles

Ordinary Work

"Ordinary work, which is what most of us do most of the time, is ordained by God every bit as much as is the extraordinary.  All work done for God is spiritual work and therefore not merely a duty but a holy privilege." 

Elisabeth Elliot

Ordinary Things

"The person who is faithful in little things is also faithful in big things"  (Luke 16:10).

"It's the bits and pieces put together year after year that count.  Sometimes we don't see meaning in the little things and we are not conscious of how it all works together to create a powerful image.  The little things we do at home ... putting wildflowers in a vase ... an old photograph tucked into a frame, a lullaby each evening by the bedside ... are the putty that holds the mosaic together."   Ingrid Trobisch


"There is no act too trifling to be made by God the first link in a chain of blessing."  Sarah W. Stephen

"Lord, give us a sense of satisfaction at the end of this day's work.  Let us be able to look back on it, whatever its successes or failures ... with the knowledge that it was worth doing and that we did our best."  Marjorie Holmes 

"Perfection in outward conduct consists not in extraordinary things; but in doing common things extraordinarily well.  Neglect nothing ..." Mere Angelique Arnauld

"It is easy to make great sacrifices when God does not ask them, but to give up our own will in each detail of life is something far harder.  And this is what he does ask.  To hold ourselves ever in readiness for His bidding -- to count no token of it too slight -- such is His call to each."    Hetty Bowman

"I felt very inadequate to do anything for the Lord, but one day I heard someone say that God does not expect us to be spectacular, He only asks us to be faithful.  He needs us in all the little shattered corners where there are people hurting, needing encouragement.   This is the beautiful part about ministering for Christ -- we do not have to depend on our ability, strength or wisdom ...He will be there to enable us."
Sara Abram

How can you say NO?

The Creator of the universe

wants to meet with you alone daily.

How can you say no

to such an opportunity?

Emilie Barnes