Settled part 4
Its a peaceful, easy feeling. And there's nothing in the world like it. When you have the issue of God's love settled... you can rest. And I'm not talking about sleeping--but there IS truth to that too... there's nothing like a good night's sleep when you know that you're safe and loved--I'm talking about doing whatever you do from a posture of rest. Not trying to force things. Letting things flow. Letting what's inside come out by knowing and believing that its in there. Settling the issue that we ARE loved instead of constantly trying to "get" love. Or earn love. You can't earn a gift. And if you try, you just end up robbing yourself of what you already have. Looking for love in all the wrong places ensures that you miss out on it. What we need to do is really settle the issue. Really listen to the still, small voice of our heavenly Father. And here's what it says. Watch this: "And the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased" (Luke 3:22). That's the Word of God. And the affirmation of the Father always empowers His Son. God being pleased with us, for no other reason that He is our Father and we are His Son(s), is what allows us to rest. That's what equips and empowers us to do what we do. Because we should do what we do... because its in our heart to do it. It is the power of God (power of love) working in us. Working through us. Working OUT of us. As we fill ourselves to overflowing with what we've been filled with. As we let what's inside come out. And we LET it come out by knowing and believing its in there. By having the issue settled. By resting in the loving arms of our heavenly Father. If we try to earn His approval... that's labor and works. And that don't work. But we understand what family is really all about--that unbreakable bond of blood--then we know that our heavenly Father has our backs no matter what. That love will carry us through. No matter what. What's that old saying I quoted the other day? "God said it, I believe it, that settles is." That, realistically, is the way it is. The problem is when we "hear" Him say things that He might not necessarily be saying. I think we all know by this point that the Bible can be made to say anything. Its easy to twist Scripture. To misinterpret things. But its also easy to look at things cross-eyed (through the lens of the finished work of the Cross). Its easy to see love everywhere, if you're looking for it. Not trying to find it in all the wrong places, but letting it come out from inside so that wherever you are... love is. We are Jesus. God in the flesh. Love in a body. God in OUR flesh. Love in OUR body. Love coming out. Naturally. Because (one more time) we know and believe that its in there. We know and believe that HE'S in there. We have that much, at least, settled. And when we have that strong foundation, we can build. Upward and onward. Upward and God-ward! We can stop struggling and we can rest. We can let it flow. We can make peace. But only when we ourselves are AT peace. That's the only way to live. So settle it in your mind and your heart; God is love and He loves you!