As I pondered on those days that I just miss the mark entirely - I remembered something I came across recently and wanted to share it:
- When Abraham should have stayed in the land and trusted the Lord, he fled to Egypt because of the drought. And this was by no means the last of Abraham’s failures.
- Moses, in trying to help his people, ran ahead of the Lord and killed the Egyptian. Later, against the command of God, he struck the rock in his anger.
- When David should have been out in the field of battle, he stayed home and committed adultery with Bathsheba and then plotted the murder of her husband.
- Peter, in spite of his self-confidence and his great boast, denied the Lord, as did the rest of the disciples who fled before the evening our Lord’s arrest was over.
I could easily add to that list all the times I "should have, but", I'm sure you can too. But God reminded me that we are no different than Abraham or Moses or David or Peter - all great men of the Bible. Though they blew it (some more than others), all of them are known as great men of God today.
I am not making excuses for messing up or saying it's just fine to to have your "should have, but" moments, but I am reminded that there is forgiveness waiting from our great God.
God does not love me any less today than He did last week before I really messed up. He is not on the verge of throwing me away because I tripped.
No, in fact, He is waiting with open arms and His amazing grace, to kiss my skinned knees, offer a soothing balm to the hurts I have endured and longs to draw me even closer to Him. His desire is to have me rest in Him when the battle rages within - to cry out to Him when my emotions begin to rage. To find refuge in the One who's nail-scarred hand longs to touch my heart and continue mold into the woman He's created me to be.
I was reminded today that He loves me, I am beautiful, and I am a child of the King. He will redeem me, He will restore me, He will draw me to Himself. I just need to surrender.
Happy Thanksgiving my friends.
