A Momentous Day...Scratch that. Let's talk about YOU.

Good morning my unique and wonderfully created friend!

This might sound a bit overwrought, but I am, truly, overwhelmed at this moment by the uniqueness of YOU.  You were made specifically, deliberately, on purpose by God.  Just think about that....doesn't that overwhelm the senses?  You.  On purpose.  By God.  Every quirk, every talent (yes, you have talents!  We all do!  And we each have our OWN mix of talents.....)

You know what?  I was going to talk about my greenhouse, but honestly I want to talk about YOU right now.  I want to talk about how the Lord loves YOU, specifically. Not part of "God loves all y'all", but that God.  Loves.  You.  Specifically.

I think sometimes we get the idea that we are "just average" or "just like everyone else" or "too messed up and not as good as others", etc, etc, etc.

Darling, let me stop you right there, if you think that way.  Truly that is not from the Lord.  He delights in YOU. 

Think about that!  He DELIGHTS in you.  He SMILES at you.  He SINGS over you.  Like, actual singing.  Actual delight.  More than that little rush of pride and joy you get over your child or spouse or pet dog or cat or bird or friend.  Think about that little rush and magnify it to a point that God would feel something (much more than we do) and that is how He feels about you.

Do we mess up?  Yep.  All the time.  And He knew that before we were even born.  He knows EVERYTHING about you.  He wants to heal and soothe and restore you.  Nothing you can do can drive Him from loving you.  All you can do is turn your back on Him....but why would you do that?  That is just silly! :)  We would not turn our backs on lotteries or good health or a great dessert or anything else we could have for free, right?  This is every good thing for free--the love of God.

He loved murderers.  He loved adulterers.  He loved His enemies.  There is nothing you have done that you cannot come to Him and say "I am sorry, please forgive me".  I promise He will treat you with a feast in your soul, just like the prodigal son (you DO realize that parable was for you!).  He won't be mad, He will be HAPPY that you came to Him.  He already knows the burden of sin you carry, you aren't actually hiding anything from Him.  All He wants is for you to come to Him so that He can heal you and love you.  Don't let your human view of guilt and punishment keep you from the One who has perfect love and forgiveness.

We cannot sin bigger than Him.  Truly.  There is nothing bigger than He is, even our sins.  Even our REPEATED sins.  All we have to do is ask Him to cleanse us, and He will be tender and gentle and restore us with love and forgiveness, and our sins will be forgotten.  FORGOTTEN.  As in, "like it never even happened".

Think of the worst thing you have done and then think "Like that never even happened.  He will forget my sin completely.  It has already been paid for, all I have to do is take the receipt.".  The debts of sin that weigh down your soul....already paid for and gone.  Just take the receipt for it, Jesus, and there will be no condemnation for you from anyone.  Ever.

Amen.