Thoughts of a woman who knew God because she did what Jesus said.
Love in Action
Christ wants to offer us the means of putting our love for him into action. He becomes hungry, not only for bread but for love. He becomes naked, not only for a piece of clothing but for love that understands, for human dignity. He becomes dispossessed, not only for a place of shelter but for the sincere and deep love for one another.
Simplest Way
The simplest way of becoming light (in this world) is by being kind and loving, thoughtful, and sincere with each other: “By this they will know that you are my disciples.”
Purpose
All of us have been given the opportunity to be completely possessed by Jesus. The work he has entrusted to you and me is nothing more than putting our love for him into action. What you do, I cannot do. What I do, you cannot do. But together you and I can do something beautiful for God.
Thoughts of a woman who knew God because she did what Jesus said.
Chosen
“You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you.” Jesus has chosen us for himself. We belong to him. Let us be so convinced of this belonging that we allow nothing, however small, to separate us from his love.
Greater Things
We must know that we have been created for greater things, not just to be a number in the world, not just to go for diplomas and degrees, this work and that work. We have been created in order to love and to be loved.
Spoiled
No one spoils us as much as God Himself. See the wonderful gifts he has given us freely? You can all see — if God were to take money for your sight what would happen? Continually we are breathing and living on oxygen we did not pay for.
But it is impossible that God should ever be the end, if He is not the beginning. We lift our eyes on high, but lean upon the sand; and the earth will dissolve, and we shall fall while looking at the heavens.
Nature
Nature is an infinite sphere of which the center is everywhere and the circumference nowhere.
By One Man
The true religion teaches us that by one man all was lost, and the bond broken between God and us, and that by one man the bond is renewed.
Thoughts of a woman who knew God because she did what Jesus said.
No Limit
There is no limit to God’s love. It is without measure, and its depth cannot be sounded. This is shown by his living and dying among us. Now turn the same picture around. There must be no limit to the love that prompts us to give ourselves to God, to be the victim of His unwanted love, that is the love of God that has not been accepted by men.
Tender
God loves us with a tender love. That is all that Jesus came to teach us, the tender love of God. “I have called you by name, you are Mine.”
Remember
Remember that when your heart feels restless, when your heart feels hurt, when your heart feels like breaking – then remember, “I am precious to Him. He loves me. God loves me.” And to prove that love he died on the cross.
Thoughts of a woman who knew God because she did what Jesus said.
Peace
Being God, Jesus became like us in every way except sin. And he proclaimed clearly that he had come to bring good news. That good news was God’s peace to all men of good will. That peace is something which is fundamental to the satisfaction of our most basic desires. It is a peace of the heart.
To Feel
In heaven, everything was beautiful – yet, what attracted Jesus to earth? The Son of God wanted to feel what it meant to be a human being; to be locked up for nine months, so dependent on a mother. That is why we say, “He, being rich, became poor.”
To Show Us
As if it were not enough – as if it were not enough to become man – Jesus died on the cross to show us his great love. He died for you and for me.
In the beginning, darkness covered the face of the deep and the Spirit of God brooded over that darkness.
And God said, “Let there be light”.
And we, too, found ourselves in spiritual darkness and chaos. We didn’t know God and we didn’t really know ourselves. Yet, that same Spirit of God brooded over you and me. He anticipated a great work in us. God saw us as ones who would reveal his great glory in the world.
Have you received light? It is because God has enlightened you. He sent his best, his own son, to reveal his nature to us. “…in him was life, and the life was the light of men.”
How God illuminates us today is as mysterious as in the beginning. The light of the beginning continues to light the earth. God has never forsaken the earth or those who live on it. He continually shines his light on men who so often love darkness rather than light.
The Lord saw the light …
Does God just shine his light on mankind in general as from a lighthouse with its light going back and forth? No. He has shone his light on you in particular. God sees you as you, not just part of mankind. And God has waited for you. He has called you by name. He wants your friendship. He wants to wake you up to his reality.
Some see the light as a blinding light that makes them painfully aware of their shortcomings.
How do you react to the light of God? Are you afraid like Adam and Eve? Do you run and hide? Are you like Paul who was shocked to his core that Jesus was speaking to him as he fought against this change to his venerable religion. Maybe you are you like Peter who fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”
“And did Jesus go away? Or did he rather say to Peter, the fisherman, “Fear not; from now on, you will catch men.” What is this! Jesus wants Peter to work by his side as a fellow in his own divine work.
God saw that the light was good…
There was no beauty in the earth but God saw the light was good. What the light illuminates may not be good, but the light is good. Does the light reveal your bad condition? Look at the light and enjoy its goodness. It means God wants to remake you into something really good. It is new beginning of his good work in you.
It was the first day of creation. It was the beginning of the work of God. God saw that the light was good. It says that the earth was without form and void. But God saw the light, not the earth in chaos. And so he sees the light, his light, shining on you. He wants to make you into a fruitful tree that benefits those nearby. The fact is: he has all good in mind for you.
Every one of us was in darkness, without hope, until the light shone on us. Without the light of God, we had no orientation and no direction. We were lost.
No matter how you see yourself, the Lord sees you differently. Maybe Jesus saw Peter years later when hundreds were caught by the net of his inspired words. The same light that exposed Peter went on to fill him with the lifegiving Spirit. ‘Fear not’ is said to you, too. No matter how you feel as the light shines on you, the light is good. And God shines his light on you for your good.
Is the purpose of God’s light to expose and condemn you? It may reveal that which was hidden, but did God say, “Look how terrible the earth looks. This is hopeless.” He did not. He saw the light that it was good. His purpose for the earth was good. He continued to work until the earth was the showpiece of the universe. And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.
God sees you as good. Can you believe it? He sees you as doing good. He has equipped you to do good. He has gone beyond all expectations. He has given us much. But let us think of his greatest gift.
He has shared his own divine nature with you. That is right. He wants many children. I know. This is really beyond our comprehension, yet it is true.
As God breathed into Adam and so gave him life, “…he breathed on them, and said to them, Receive the Holy Spirit …” Now let this idea sink down into your being. If you are not convinced, ask God to fill you with his Spirit. Adam had no choice about becoming a man. But after that, he did have a choice to make. A big one. And so do you and I.
Jesus said to”… wait for the promise of the Father … you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit … you shall receive power, after the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and you shall be witnesses unto me … unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
God made a promise a long time ago. He said he would pour out his Spirit on all people: young, old, men, women, all.
Yes, like Adam, we have a choice to make. Will we continue to live by our own ideas or will we choose “Life”? Choosing the Tree of Life is now choosing a man to follow. That man is the One God sent to reveal what he is really like. You know, any other choice will eventually end in futility and despair. Every other path in life cannot deliver what you hope it will. And sadly, it takes us so long to realize this.
Jesus called him “The Father”. But then he said to call him “Our Father”. This is the meaning of light. That God wants to recreate you in the image of Jesus. Remember, Peter said, “I am not like you, Jesus. You and I are very different.”
But it is as if Jesus said, “Really, Peter? Are we so different? I think we are much alike. You and I can be together and do Gods will. We will, together, change how the people see God. And you will become more and more like me in that effort.”
We are made in the image and likeness of God. We have the potential to live as his children and show that family likeness to others. But he will not use force to make this happen. He invites; he does not compel. He offers choice, as he always has, to come closer. Yes, to overcome your fear and follow him. He says to you, right now, “Come, follow me.”
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