The Beauty of Gods Love

      I know to which the road our father is placing me on. But sometimes that just isn't instant enough for our human flesh. I simply want to be on it now and not on the journey before which it comes. What I am realizing and understanding more now than ever though, is that its the journey before that makes the end destination as magnificent and grand as it seems to be. Without all the bumps, prayers, love and support of others, lessons in-between would any of the results seem so glorious? My guess is no. So, with that being said, here I sit on the road of growth- somewhere between knowledge, love and wisdom.
     God has been speaking to me these last few days about loving through the storm. To some this seems like an impossible task. And if I were to be honest Id reveal once upon a time that was me. But as these last weeks of 2013 enclosed I realized that the moment we allow anything negative into our hearts is the moment we lose. Yes, it may be difficult to not spit off at the tongue as your heart is crushed and dismayed but I challenge you to think of just how hurt and dismayed God was as we ate from the tree, spit and thrashed on his ONLY son, and choose STILL not to walk with him. Did that stop him from paying the price? In his hurt did he say, "never mind, child, you are not worth it?" No, he still took us on his back and carried us and allowed life to be restored in us.
     In Genesis 1:31 God tells us, "He saw what he had made (man) and it was good." Just before it reads (Gen. 1:26) "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock over the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." How remarkable is that? God claims that we ARE good! From the first of the days he claimed we were good! And we were above all other creatures for we were in the likeness of HIM! God: an adored, admired or influential person. In an another definition it reads: A superhuman being or spirit being worshipped. WE ARE MADE IN HIS IMAGE! Why is it we beat ourselves up and degrade ourselves? Are we understanding that by doing so we are diminishing the beauty of who God is?
    I know some of you reading this are saying, "Well, I am not as worthy. If only you knew my past, Kris, you wouldn't say that I was made in His image." Oh, How I express this with the deepest of love, you would be entirely wrong! I can say so very confidently because later in Genesis 3:21 after Eve and Adam ate of the forbidden fruit, while they sat embarrassed because they were unclothed; "God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them." There were consequences to Adam and Eve's actions, yes, but what loving parent do you know that when their child disobeys and does something harmful to themselves in the process not discipline out of love? Adam and Eve did the one and only thing the Lord said for them not to do. In doing so they brought death and destruction upon themselves and every person who would be born after. They released sin onto the earth... to ALL OF MAN! I'd like to ask you, who may be feeling unworthy, what have you done that has brought such repercussions onto ALL of man? I am not dismissing the hurts you may have caused or endured. I'm simply asking, if God still loved Adam and Eve enough to care for their embarrassment, why wouldn't He still love you and call you good?
     I started this post sharing I want the end result. If I had that right now, would I be able to feel his love for me today? Probably not to the degree I am. Keep trucking and know you are made in the image of God, the highest and holiest of ALL things, and you are GOOD!

    Here's to the journey before the destination!

Kris