The Rewrite

So I wrote a whole blog which i had titled the sociological thoughts and upon some more day occurring decided not to post it. It was full of some fun theological thoughts mixed with some sociological perspective. Instead I'm going to return to my sappy self and write about God's love.
"I don't have time to maintain these regrets when i think about the way, you love us."
How true a statement. At those moments that we are so wrapped up in God's love and a revelation of who He is and what He's done for us, I can't think about my regrets, I just think about Him.
Psalms 27:4 you see that same picture of David saying One thing I desire, to dwell in the courts of the Lord forever more and behold the beauty of the Lord.
To just lavish in His presence.
I remember a word from the Lord I got a few years ago. I was struggling with processing through a past that had plagued me. One of living for myself. I punished myself and struggled with seeing myself as forgiven. Beyond that those around me struggled to see me as the person I had become rather than who I was. The Lord spoke so clearly to me one morning "Daughter, it is you and those around you that don't see you as redeemed, in My eyes you have been made new"
Redemption. The greek word for redemption means to be released or liberated because of an effective payment.
Because of Christ's effective payment.
There's just this quality of God. This unconditional love and everlasting grace. The blog on sociological thought was a lot about sin, about our need to turn from sin, about what leads us to sin etc. It was a true message that is still much needed in our society, but on the same token this world needs to hear about love and about grace, about true redemption. Christ was 100% truth and 100% grace, never compromising truth for grace, but also never compromising grace for truth. The truth is that Christ died for our sins because of the Father's great love for us, the truth is we have to make a decision to commit our lives to Christ and that's not just a prayer, it is a complete lifestyle change, the truth is sanctification will occur in the life of a Christian, but the truth is also you will mess up and as my pastor always says when you mess up confess up that's when people will know there's something different about you.
In the presence of my God who I truly am is revealed. The good, the bad, the lovely, and the ugly. There with Him peace overwhelms me and the love of the Father gives me a desire to live for Him. The pieces of the puzzle fit together when I'm with Him. See here is the thing about God, we are redeemed and we are new, we are clean when washed in the blood of Christ, but His love for us causes the Holy Spirit to push us towards sanctification. Because at the end of the day the best thing for us is to not sin. It's not because He is a God of restriction, it's because He's a God of love.
I know i just jumped around a lot. But tonight for some reason I just feel loved. I don't have a desire to discuss some new theological revelation, not normal for me, I don't really want to bring out the Word and discuss how we should be living our lives, I don't want to try and encourage you to be passionate, or write something that will build you up and encourage you or challenge you, rather, tonight, i'm somber. I'm more silent. If anything I want to say, My God, My Daddy God, the One I run to, the One I have a secret place with, when my world is falling apart I can fall on my knees and cry out to the God of the universe, because as the Word says cast your cares on Him because He cares for you, this God, this Huge Big Miraculous Sovereign Creator God He loves me, He knows me, He cares about me, He forgives me, He's faithful even when I'm faithless, He walks with me, He talks with me, He challenges me, He tests me, He lives in me, He works through me, gosh the One True God, I have a personal relationship with Him. He meets with me. He delights in me. He died for me. There is nothing more humbling than a revelation of this concept.
I am my Beloved's and He is mine.
J. Tate