I don't know how to explain
it
But I know that words will hardly do
Miracles with signs and wonders
Aren't enough for me to prove to you
Don't you know I've always loved you
Even before there was time
Though you turn away
I'll tell you still
Don't you know I've always loved you
And I always will
Greater love has not a man
Than the one who gives his life to prove
That he would do anything
And that's what I'm going to do for you
But I know that words will hardly do
Miracles with signs and wonders
Aren't enough for me to prove to you
Don't you know I've always loved you
Even before there was time
Though you turn away
I'll tell you still
Don't you know I've always loved you
And I always will
Greater love has not a man
Than the one who gives his life to prove
That he would do anything
And that's what I'm going to do for you
-Third Day
I hadn’t heard this song in a long time, but tonight it
came up on my Pandora radio station. I
stopped everything I was doing and just listened. I was filled with peace and joy and a desire
to shout of God’s love. Maybe this is my “shouting”.
It’s hard for us sometimes to even comprehend God’s
love. We never fully will. If we did we would be in Heaven. But what we can comprehend is still so
unbelievably amazing. To think that a
God, who is Lord of lords, King of kings, knew you before the world even began
is beyond incredible. He not only knew
you, but He loved you. When God was
creating the mystical sunrises and sunsets, you were in his mind sitting there
admiring the beauty billions of years down the road. When he created the wonderful taste of a
strawberries, chocolate, anything, he knew every person who would ever enjoy
them and he smiled.
My heart hurts for the people I see today who are
drowning in regret and shame at the horror of what they’ve done and think that
they do not deserve love. You have a God
who has loved you even before time and He can never love you less. There is nothing you could ever do to make
God look away and stop loving you. The
bible says that “neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor
present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any
other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ
Jesus” (Romans 8: 38-39). NOTHING, absolutely nothing can separate you from the
love of God including your very own sins.
His love is always there. What
happens is as we build up more and more sin, more distractions, more earthly
desires and less heavenly aspirations, we cloud up that love of God that once
shone so bright in our lives. His love
is still there just like always, but we don’t always let ourselves see it, or
feel it. We think that what we have
done, or what we have failed to do makes us unworthy. We think, “How could God ever love me after I
did this…or did that?”. If you get one
thing out of this rambling, I pray that it is this: God could never love you
less. He loves you just as much as he
loves Pope Benny. He loves you just as
much as he loves Mother Teresa.
The other Sunday, the priest told the story of Saint
Margaret Mary and how Jesus revealed Himself to her, calling her to start a
special devotion to His Sacred Heart.
She told her superior Priest about this calling and the need to spread
the word about Jesus’ great love through His Sacred Heart. The priest wouldn’t believe her. She saw Jesus again that night and He told
her the same thing. She explained how the priest wouldn’t believe her but Jesus
told her to be persistent. After a
couple nights of this same routine, finally the priest said “There is one
shameful sin that I committed when I was really young that no one knows about
except Jesus. If you can tell me what it
is, then I will believe you.” So that
night, Sister Margaret Mary talked to Jesus and asked Him to reveal to her the
priest’s sin. Jesus replied, “I forgot”.
Guys, I cannot stress this enough: God loves you. He knows about your addictions. He knows about your shameful deeds. He knows that very thing that is coming to
the forefront of your mind right now at this very second, and all He is asking
you to do is to have faith in what HE has done.
Believe in the cross. Take all
your sins and get down on your knees and release them at the foot of the
Cross. You will be lifted up by
forgiving and bleeding hands of Jesus.
And I hear you saying, “but what about this world, what
about all those who have seen what I’ve done and are standing in judgment over
me. They look at me with scorn and
distaste in their eyes and cast me out.
How am I to move on when this world counts me out?”. Take a look at John Chapter 8. Jesus encounters a woman caught in the act of
adultery. The people hold stones in
their hands ready to put her to death as punishment for her crime. Then they ask Jesus, “In the law, Moses
commanded us to stone such a woman. What do you say?”. Jesus replied, “Let the one among you who is
without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Wow, they weren’t expecting that one. We are all sinners, and we all need God’s
love and grace. But essential to this
story is what happens next, Jesus says, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, from now
on do not sin any more”. Being a
Christian doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want knowing that God forgives
no matter what. I feel sorry for the man
who believes that because in the end he will face the wrath of God. Being a Christian means knowing that we are
sinners, and God will forgive all our sins, but He calls us all to strive to
become the best versions of ourselves.
We can mess up, but we best try again harder next time to turn away from
sin and turn toward justice and truth. And even if our trying consists of just
baby steps, He will rejoice in our efforts to walk closer to Him and allow His
love to wipe away our deepest sins and renew our hearts. No matter what, His love will always remain.
So….you gotta QUIT doubting the cross. Jesus was enough. He conquered all sin and all death. He conquered all evil with His love for
you. He stood in judgment and all the
while being rejected, He thought of YOU.
He carried his cross in complete exhaustion, and every time he stumbled
and fell, He saw YOUR face and got back up. Nails pounded into his wrists and
his feet and his heart ached for the sin He knew you would commit, but His LOVE
for you remain. He lay hanging, blood
pouring down from his most precious face and before giving up His spirit, He
saw YOUR face. I can’t help but think
before leaving the tomb, Jesus smiled seeing the hope that you now have
available to you if only you would just BELIEVE that His cross was enough.
:) nicely said!
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