God Only Has Eyes for You

( A letter from God)

My Dear Child:

I love resting my eyes on you … just you.  I remember well the day you were conceived.  I put within you the beginnings of all that you were to become.  As you grew in your mother’s womb, I was watching.  As your head and nostrils developed, I was there. 

Weeks before you actually burst forth into this world, you kicked, you twisted, you turned, as if to say “Let me out.  I’m ready to go.”

And you were almost ready … almost.  You just needed a bit more time in those developmental stages. 

And then you came to be.  Your first cries were magical and musical to your Mom’s ears.  You were finally ready to begin your journey. 

You grew, you suckled, you cried and laughed, and you grew some more. 

And now, look at you.  You are all grown up.  And I am so proud of you. 

I know how you think, I know what you like and don’t like.  I know the deepest darkest secrets of your heart, and I love you anyway.

I watched you last week as you looked in the mirror.  I read your mind.  You wondered, you pondered, you questioned, you fretted.

I want you to know this … I’ve never looked in your mirror and wished that I saw someone else.  You are mine.  You are my finest creation.  Believe that.

Remember this … it is found in my Holy scriptures, in Psalm 139 from the pen of David.

For you, God, created me, my inner being;  You put me together in my mother’s womb.

I give you praise because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Your works are masterpieces, that I know. 

My frame was not hidden from your eyes when I was being formed. 

Your eyes saw my early beginnings as a glob of protoplasm, unformed and free-floating,

Even then you began to order my days.

Your thoughts toward me O God are precious, significant, on purpose.

When I think of you, I imagine all that you could be, if you will only believe in your great potential. 

In my book, in Isaiah 43 I had the writer say this …

Don’t fear; I have redeemed you; I call  you by name; you are mine. 

When you pass through troubling waters, I will be with you.  The rivers will not sweep you away.

When you walk through fire of all kinds, you will not be burned. 

I am your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

I have one thought to give to you today.

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God Is So Good

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, when I was music minister in churches in Orlando, Albuquerque and Seattle, we sang a song.  It was a simple song.  So simple, in fact, that one might be inclined to skip over it because it is so simple. 

And the song is this …

God is so good

God is so good

God is so good

He’s so good to me

I have to stop and allow my heart to calm down a bit when I think these kinds of thoughts.  You see, I believe what I just wrote and what I just sang in my heart. 

In my sixty-seven years of living on this earth I know one thing … God is good to me.

He has seen me through the thick and thin of life. 

In want, He has been good.

In plenty, He has been good.

In health, He has been good.

In sickness, He has been good.

As time went on, I would make up other verses for this tune.

He answers prayer … He’s so good to me.

Did I ever tell you about the time God sent me $3000?  That was an answer to prayer.

He loves me so … He’s so good to me

When I’ve had moments and feelings of aloneness, I have felt his love and closeness.

When my parents died, I felt His love and comfort.

A huge part of my concept of God is this … He is a good God.  He cares for His children … all of us!

And He is a presence in our time of need.

Psalm 46:1 says

This I know, for I have lived it and experienced it.

God IS so good … He’s so good to me.

Let Him be this kind of reality in your life today.  Invite Him in.

Say the words … He will do the rest.

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How Do I Earn God's Favor?

The super-achiever says … I want to be real good so I can earn a spot next to God.

He/She says: “If I can memorize enough of the right phrases, the secret code words, then my spot is assured in Heaven.”

He/She says: “You know, if I go this this prayer summit I will surely earn points with God.  You think?”

And the beat goes on.  The chase for favor with God is a never-ending one.  Those that enter this race for success and favor with God seek, they try, they spend, they give, they talk and persuade, they DO the acts.  They do so much of the stuff they think is worthy of a nod from God.

And God’s word simply says: 

“By grace are you saved through faith; it is not something you do yourself; it is a gift from God. 

Works don’t save you, for in works a person could boast.”

~Ephesians 2:8-9

That is such great news it seems impossible to believe.  And that is where we rub up against the gospel.  It is in the believing that God favors us.  He offers favor.  He offers redemption.  He OFFERS!  Our job is to believe and receive.

Ah, but we reject the offer and choose instead to bounce here and there trying to earn yet another merit badge to show God how sincere we really are.

I’ve known a few spiritual types who seem to never settle into their relationship with God.  They have a recurring feeling of never being good enough.  They are constantly in pursuit of something more that they can do to impress God and cause God to like them more.

And all along God is saying “I already love you.  Don’t you get it?  I love you as you are … not as you should be.”

And then there are those, most of us, who feel we can’t be worthy of God’s favor. 

The conversations run something like this:

~You don’t know what I’ve done or where I’ve been.

~You don’t know what I’ve said.

~You don’t know what I’m like in the secret places.

And God says once again …

“Come to me, all who work hard and are heavy hearted.  I will give you rest.  Take my ways upon your shoulders.”

God is already offering favor.

He is offering a place at His table of grace. 

No reservations required. 

          No entry fee requested.

He simply wants us to accept what is already available for free.

Brennan Manning says it so well –

“God loves us as we are 

… not as we should be.”

A final invitation to come to God.

  

Internet Church Blog Site

Offering Words of

Hope Encouragement

Inspiration

One Word at a Time