sept fifteen

50mm     ISO320     f/2.5     1/400     5:41PM(Eastern)     9/15/17

Guys.  I haven't seen her smile like that before.  That's Brittany overflowing with joy because she gets to marry her gentle giant tomorrow. <3 nbsp="" p="">
(North Carolina sunsets are magic)

Love isn't Fair

"They're wrong. 

They say "all is fair in love and war," but they're wrong.  

Nothing is fair in love and war... Love is even more unfair[than war].  That deep love, true love, not the physical, worldly, sensual, self-seeking infatuation, but love that we can have because God loved us.

Mercy.  

Forgiveness.

Grace.

Redemption.

Sacrifice.

  While technically they are just, they are not fair.  Why is there forgiveness, for example?  Fairness and forgiveness?  How does that make sense? It doesn't exist.  Fairness would be to hold the grudge and get revenge until the debt has been paid. 

 To give when you'll get nothing back isn't fair, but that is love.  To trust unquestioningly.  To sacrafice.  Why should you sacrifice?  That isn't fair, they should do their own work, pay their own consequences.  How is it that they get off free?  This isn't fair, but this is love.  

THIS is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins!  

This is sacracfice.  

This is forgiveness.  

This is love.  

This is my JESUS."

These words come form my journal a couple months ago.  I haven't shared my heart here before because it is scary.  Exposing yourself opens you up to getting hurt.  But sometimes you just can't hold it in anymore.

This past year I have learned more about love than I ever dreamed there was to know.  Coming to your knees again in realization of what it was that actually happened at the cross has a way of setting all your priorities straight.  

This Valentine's Day let's share the greatest Valentine to ever be given: the cross.  

Through our lives and lips let's show the world God's pleading to "Be mine."  Show them the only love  that fulfills and satisfies.  The love that is colorblind, status-blind, forgiving, and oh, so sweet.  That love that keeps on giving even when it is rejected over and over again.  

That love that sent Jesus to take the punishment that I deserved and die on the cross while I still hated and rejected Him!  It isn't fair.  I should have been the one killed for my sin.  Oh, how He loves us!

"But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Romans 5:8

This is the most amazing Valentine you will ever find.  Be HIS.

Loving God

     Teresa recently posted on loving God.  It is really good, you should go and read it.  After reading her post it got me thinking.  Not only are we supposed to love God with all our heart, but with all our mind. 

And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

Matthew 22:37

     Well, what does that mean?  My dad is taking some classes at MBI on the side, and one of the books he had to read was titled just that,  "Love God with all your Mind" by J. P. Moreland.  He says it is a very good book, so I'd recommend it.  Consequently, we talked about it at devotions for a couple of days.

     How can you love God with all your mind?  What do you use your mind for?  Primarily, I use mine to think and do school.  :) We can love God with our mind by honoring him with our thoughts and our school.  Do we do our school for Jesus?  Or do we do it because our moms told us to, we want to look smart etc. ?  What about your thoughts?  What are you always thinking about?  (I'm not just talking to you here, I am just as guilty) Do your thoughts glorify God?  If not, take them captive...

We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ...

2 Corinthians 10:5

Current Mood: Content

and guilty