Keys To Growth - 2

.....know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness do God.  Ephesians 3:19

Just this week I heard it stated  in a TV segment that something like 60% of women (interviewed) said that they didn't like their husbands to see them without makeup; that they sleep at night "with their face on".  Now I didn't laugh too much about that or think that it was ridiculous because early in my marriage I was the same.  I got over it, probably after getting sick of trying to get lipstick off the pillowcase, but it took me many more years to get over other people seeing me without makeup.  I don't think I'm fully over it still!  There I've exposed my insecurity!  Why are we like this?  Because we think people will think less of us if they see 'the real me'.  That is so untrue.  When they see us they won't feel so bad about themselves!!  Golly I'm being naughty today!  To all women who wear no makeup......hooray for you!

 

We can be like the 'can't see me with out makeup women' with God.  We can 'hide' from him in different ways, thinking that he won't like what he sees.  Actually, the truth is we can't hide so don't bother trying.  He sees it all and loves us in spite of our junk.  

 

I think that is why Paul admonishes us in today's scripture to 'know the love of God that passes knowledge.' He says that God's love surpasses our understanding. I think that means that we will never fully understand it, but we should delve into the truth of it and allow it to become imbedded in our thinking.  Why is it so important that we believe and embrace the truth of God's love for us?  I believe it is because it fulfils our basic human need for acceptance, validation and to know that we are loved just as we are.

I am thrilled to find that there is a whole new generation of Christians rising up who have embraced the love and grace of God in such a way that it is changing the way they take the message of the gospel into the world.  They don't go and preach on street corners, or give out tracts, they go out with the specific purpose of loving people where they are at, and offering words of encouragement and validation.  Isn't this what Jesus did? He mixed with the outcasts, not the religious.  He didn't preach to them, he loved them and accepted them and healed them.

We know that the world is looking for love in all the wrong places.  We cannot and must not just sit back and acknowlege that and do nothing.  We have the power to change lives, one at a time. When we embrace and understand the love of God for ourselves we will be secure enough and fully equipped to go out into our world and love on others.  It's just that simple.  Let's go do it!

Prayer:  Father God, thank you for loving me in spite of my imperfections.  Thank you for laying down your life for me while I was still a sinner.  Help me to embrace the truth of your love so deeply that it will produce a life-changing flow of love from me to a loveless world. Amen