I've been enjoying my Seasonal Bible tremendously (although I missed a few nights this weekend...gotta read double this week to catch up). But I've been going through 1 Kings, and for me, reading about Israel's continued rejection of the Lord is like watching a train wreck over and over and over.
No matter how many times the Lord, through His prophets, warned Israel to abandon its idols, or how many times the Lord struck down ungodly kings, they couldn't discern the connection between the horrible things that were happening to them and their ungodly behavior. As I read, I wondered how many times the Lord looked down on his chosen people with disappointment, wondering why they couldn't just accept His love and embrace His blessings.
And then it hit me.
How many times has the Lord looked at my life and wondered why I couldnt accept His love and embrace His blessings? Why can't we, as Christians, recognize that His plans for our lives are beyond our wildest imaginations?
If I'm being honest, I think it's because I'm so focused on the grace that God has already so liberally poured out on my life, and it's hard for me to imagine that there might be MORE. I place limits on God's ability to enrich my life, and my short-term perspective stunts my growth as a Christian. It's like I'm willing to crave fast food when God is ready to provide the most elaborate gourmet meal imaginable.
I can remember feeling absolutely shattered when I realized that my ex-boyfriend wasn't crazy about me the way that I was about him. When we decided to end things, I wondered how I would ever find someone else to care about the way that I cared about him. Now, with the benefit of hindsight, I picture God shaking His head and rolling His eyes, thinking "she has NO idea of the kind of love I have in store for her." After I fell in love with Micah, I saw how superficial my feelings for Brad had been and how unsuited we were for eachother. I saw that Micah was the missing puzzle piece in my life, and that God had known what He was doing after all.
Now, as I read about the plight of Israel, I see how easy it is allow yourself to become blinded by what you perceive to be the best this world has to offer. And I am reminded that I must remember that God's got a plan. And His plan surpasses anything I could ever imagine for my life. So when I look at Micah and wonder how God could ever top such a blessing, I remind myself that my God is a big God. With big resources. Who knows what He might do if I let Him?
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