I must really be something special...

I opened up my devotional book and today's message really struck me. And I thought I would share it:

February 15 (Numbers 3:1-39)

"I invite you to come close to me."

"Anyone other than a priest or LEvite who went too near the sanctuary was to be put to death."  Numbers 3:38

"Did you receive your invitation today? Maybe a better question would be, Did you know Someone sent you one? It's nice to be remembered and welcomed by someone. But when that person is Almighty God, the Commander of Earth and Heaven, the value of a daily invitation can't be measured.

He didn't always let people come close to Him. During Old Testament days, only the high priest was allowed to enter the Tabernacle's Most Holy Place, and only once a year. Commoners weren't allowed near such sacred ground under penalty of death.

However, Jesus' death on our behalf changed that, and we live in the age of grace and warm welcomes from God. Not only does he tolerate us, but he cherishes time with us.

He craves time with us. How many of us crave time with Him? Sure, we get warm feelings whenever we choose to "bless" him with our presence. Even with the best of intentions to make Him our number-one priority, we still get distracted by the all-important items on our agendas. As if He doesn't have a to-do list longer than we could fathom! He doesn't need our time, but He wants it. And He knows we need that time with Him.

Today, spend a few moments sharing your heart and quieting your spirit with Him. That time is sacred, something people thousands of years ago couldn't enjoy. Yet it's yours any time you want it.

Will you respond to His invitation and join Him?"

-This excerpt belongs to: The Daily God Book: A Year of Listening For God by Erin Keeley Marshall-




Wow. I realized that sometimes (more often than not) I have that attitude, of, I guess I can grace my Father with my presence. As if I'm something really special. Okay, I know I'm special, but when that attitude of "I'm going to grace the Lord with my presence" comes out it's really not an attractive quality...

Truth be told, I may have that attitude sometimes, but I really don't intend for that to come across. Truth be told, I do want to bask in my Father's presence, to be moved by Him, to give Him glory He deserves, but I get so caught up in my life that I rarely take the time to do that.

And then I selfishly thought...why does he "deserve" my time? That doesn't sound cool to me. And then I thought about the reading I read today..."He didn't always let people come close to Him. During Old Testament days, only the high priest was allowed to enter the Tabernacle's Most Holy Place, and only once a year...Jesus' death on OUR behalf changed that..."

So wait. Why did God send His one and only son to die for US? Because of our sin.

Wait. What? So God sent HIS son to die for OUR sin. That hardly seems fair. God sent His son to die to save us from our sin that He has nothing to do with?

The answer is yes.

Our God is a Holy, Sovereign, Forgiving God. He is also Jealous. He created us, and had the nerve to give us free will, knowing what that might mean. I then wondered, "Why did God give us free will, if He knew we might stray from Him, especially when He created us for Him?" And then it hit me. Would it be fulfilling to have someone love you, when you made them love you? God gave us free will because He wants us to love Him on our own decision. It wouldn't be a fulfilling love for Him if he made us without free will, knowing that we love Him only because He made us that way. He wants us to love Him because we choose to love Him.

Oh man. So all of this is hitting me this morning, and all I can think is, "I am truly loved. Inside, and out. My sins bare all, and He still loves ME." It's truly baffling. I felt like I needed to share this with all of you who choose to read this...because maybe, just maybe you'll have the same revelations and wow-factors after reading this.

It's amazing that even though I've come to the idea that I am loved by God hundreds of times, and come to the idea that God loves us beyond our sin, and sent His son to die for our sins, but each revelation brings me into a deeper understanding of God's love for me/us. And while I grow deeper in this Love that I am slowly understanding, I feel at the same time that there is no way I will ever truly understand God's love for me/us.

God's love is crazy. Impossible. Nuts. But I am so glad that I have His love. Aren't you? :)