I Know That He Loves Me

Love can can be termed in so many ways. Maybe you have an Agape Love for a person (a deep care). Maybe you have a passionate love for a spouse or loved one. The world even has it's definitions of love which are far from what God has meant for your life as it is superficial or self gratifying. Take a look at our children and see what they are exposed to. Time and again God's word shows us His love for us. He says He loved us while we were still sinners. Wow, still in the process of sin and making bad decisions. Can you love someone enough through a process knowing they are sinning? Maybe they have lied to you, broke your trust or cheated on you. I'm not saying love them by ignoring their sin. In contrast I'm saying loving someone enough to make the hard decisions by putting them into God's hands so they can be won back to Him. Over the past four years I have seen God's love in such ways that it has humbled me. Here I am a man raised with the mentality work hard, be strong, be independent and God will bless you for your diligence. Going through divorce, bankruptcy, foreclosure, health issues, custody battles, unemployment twice, family deaths and so much more you find that your perspective and dependency changes. Loosing everything (and I mean everything) there are only two options. You either give up or you press in to God. The prophet Jeremiah puts it correct. Here is, as he puts it, a young man who had no self worth in an area where his people were held captive, lost everything and all hope was lost. He says that I can't do it, but God said "I knew you before you were born" (Jeremiah 1). He said to God that all hope was lost as he sat in prison, but God responded "I know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper you and not for harm" (Jeremiah 29). As a result Jeremiah caught the vision and became the encourager stirring up the people who needed hope. Look at what he said as he becomes the flag bearer blazing a trail. Jeremiah 33:3 "Call on me and I will show you great and mighty things which you don't know yet." Jeremiah had to go through a lot to get to that point. He went from being the one who doubted to the one who caught the vision. He was also the one who went through adversity yet never wavered. So as a sit on a plane back to Chicago for round whatever, I started listening to my music and came across a song that I haven't listened to in a while, "I Know That You Love Me" by Martha Munizzi. In her song she says "You never leave me, You forsake me and I will never be alone...So I hold onto nothing. I know that you have me in unending mercy cause that's what You promise me, great is Your faithfulness." As I sit on the plane I can't help but reflect on God's goodness, and understand He loves me. Here is an example of His love. I have friends who have helped me get to court by giving me airline tickets, helping out with rentals and giving me a place to stay. The most recent was when a group of friends came together to collect money just so I could buy something for my son's birthday. Understand the hospitality requires that of humility. The things that happened are things that blew my mind and shook my very core as felt independence is my calling and as a result missing out on what God could do if I took on His vision in the situation and understood that He truly loves me. CAL