PAIRINGS - Psalm 86:5 Abounding Love

I was reading a note from Jennifer Dougan this morning. I subscribe to receive her posts via email. I related to so much of what she had written. But one scripture JUMPED OFF THE PAGE at me... especially the words ABOUNDING IN LOVE...

"You, LORD, are forgiving and good, ABOUNDING IN LOVE to all who call to you." Psalm 86:5 NIV

I had to pair it with a picture that was special. I'd been saving this one for a great pairing...

Check out Jennifer's post, What You Didn't Know You Knew. It's a great reminder to me, as a "DeeDee" now. And it reminded me of the first scripture I taught my children:

"I have hidden Your Word in my heart, That I might not sin against You." Psalm 119:11 

A little explanation of my PAIRINGS posts: I'm a very visual person - a very touchy, feely person. I'm deeply moved by music, lyrics, quotes... and so many scriptures. I've loved writing & taking pictures since I was young. So, I finally decided to put them all together in a sort of "pairing". 

Linking with Ann Voskamp - A Holy Experience today... 

Cries in the Darkness

I've written before about a song by Christa Wells with lyrics which seem as if they were drawn from my life. Here are a few lines that I've lived...

You’re gonna cry yourself to sleep

You’re gonna soak the pillow for many weeks

You’re gonna cry Why? Why me?

You’re gonna cry yourself to sleep 

‘cause for the moment all that you can see

Is what you’ve lost... lost... Why me? 

You’re gonna cry yourself to sleep

A thousand miracles you’ll have to wait and see...

A Thousand Things - Christa Wells

When my heart cries out in the darkness to God, I often speak the words...

"Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you." Psalm 143:8

In the past five years, I've prayed that prayer many times. I hope I've done my share of crying out in the darkness - the physical darkness of night & the darkness which envelops me in times of trouble! There have been times when I was physically exhausted from crying to the Lord & many times when I've fallen asleep while claiming the promise that there will be word of God's unfailing love in the morning.

Regardless of what life brings into your path... don't hesitate to cry out to God in the darkness & remember to claim the promise that morning light will bring word of His unfailing, faithful love!

Linking with Ann Voskamp - A Holy Experience today... 

Dirty, Rotten Scoundrels!

What do "dirty, rotten scoundrels" have to do with LOVE? And what do "dirty, rotten scoundrels" have to do with walking a tightrope?  

My words today are aimed at ME. I've consistently battled against being a black & white girl when it comes to wrong & right. I've had a tough time knowing exactly how to love a person (or how to appropriately to show my love) when I don't necessary care too much for the person or condone their choices & behaviors. 

I am "balance" challenged most days!

Does anyone else find it difficult to walk that fine line between helping someone & enabling them to continue on their path of poor choices? And, what about the fine line between showing love to someone & appearing to support choices & behaviors? 

God is showing me daily--often moment by moment--that UNCONDITIONAL GODLY LOVE has nothing to do with wrong & right! Completely LOVING someone doesn't have to mean that I have to COMPLETELY agree with their choices. 

The circumstances of my life in the past 3-4 years have been a great awakening for me about God's love. I've never had a problem with loving my own children unconditionally... but, that's a mom thing isn't it? Even when we feel like we could string our kids up by their toenails, we seem to giggle inside & know that we still love them no matter what they do. 

But, how do we show LOVE & ACCEPTANCE to those who just don't seem to deserve it? I truly believe that the only way is through Christ. It doesn't seem to be a humanly possible thing... on my own. It's a miraculous to find that you truly love someone you don't really "like" that much :) 

And, for me to base my love upon right & wrong choices of others is very detrimental to my personal relationship with God. By taking the name of Christ & calling myself a Christian, I believe that I am being called to be a person of LOVE! The more I read God's word & the more that I talk with Him, the more convicted I am about loving without conditions. I can't say that it's easy. But, my spirit tells me that it's the only way my heart can be clear in front of the Lord. 

It's easy to say that LOVE is my guide. But truthfully, sometimes life gets in the way of knowing how to best show love. For me lately, it's a constant act of discipline & obedience to my Lord.

His words: 

• "Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good." Romans 12:9
• "Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance." 1 Corinthians 13:17 
• "Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works." James 2:26
• "Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13:13

I'm so very thankful for the opportunity I have to serve as a volunteer in my home church, Madison Park Church of God, through Worship Arts & Women's Ministries. This note was written as I was working on a weekly Worship Arts note for them.

Linking with Ann Voskamp - A Holy Experience today... 

Where Can They Go?

If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there Your hand will guide me,
Your right hand will hold me fast.
Psalm 139
photo by Tom Getz

My children can't accurately be called children.  They're young adults.  I've loved them to the moon & back.  And, I've taught them about my love for the Lord & his children.  But, will they choose to embrace the things I hold so dear?  I've been looking at my "love" in comparison to the love of God. 

We're promised in Romans 8:38, "... NOTHING can separate us from the love of God." Nothing is a pretty big deal. It really leaves out NOTHING :) 

We are assured in Psalm 103:8, "The LORD is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love." Unfailing love - unable, no matter the circumstances or the choices made by someone, to fail??

But, what if we don't want God's love or someone dear doesn't want God's love OR our love? True love doesn't come with strings. It's freely given. Love isn't contained by boundaries or diminished by someone's refusal to accept it!

David asked God in Psalm 139:7-10, "Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me." 

God's love GOES with us - even when we don't want it... when we are hiding from it. Even there God's hand is upon us & leading us. That's the kind of love I want to have. God is love & He is unfailing, ever-present & never discouraged.

Psalm 139 is a great reminder that God will never leave us. But, it's also a great reminder that God promises to not let ANYTHING separate any of His children from His love - not even their choices.

(shared 9/4/12 with the Ann Voskamp One Thousand Gifts community)