Friday, March 9, 2012

In Awe

March 10, 2012



I don't really know how to start this blog post, I guess the best thing to say is that words fail me at the moment but I feel a sweeping need to write about this and to share this with you.

It's strange to say this, but up until recently I never really thought God's love extended to me. I was a Christian, I certainly loved God and wanted to obey Him but something inside of me could never accept the fact that He loved me, that was until that day in the Labyrinth. That day that God took me through my entire story and showed me where He was, told me He was there and loved me and told me He'd always be there.

I guess I can say I didn't believe it because I thought there was no way God could love someone like me. I was angry and bitter and a workaholic, I cared for others on my time and didn't consider the things of God. How could God possibly love me, I spent my first 13 years of my life hating His righteous standard and the first four years of my Christian walk consciously rebelling against it. I treated God's people like crap, I was a legalist and I hated myself, how could God have loved me? How could He love someone in so much pain?

Then that day happened, that bright warm day on the side of a mountain, the first day I ever really spent in quiet meditation. "I love you" I heard Him say "You are my child, my son and I love you." For the first time I heard the honest and straight forward voice of God speak to my guarded and healing heart. I was forced into a place where I had to listen and this is what God told me...I was...in awe.

Recently my friend David and I reached Romans 8 in what has become a 3 month long study through the incredible book. As we reached the end tonight I was once again reminded of that voice of Love. You know the section I'm talking about, specifically 8:31-39. The part that says "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (v31) and "Who shall bring charge against God's elect, it is God who justifies" (v33). The part that points out:


Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. (v.34 ESV)
The section that ends with

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (37-39 ESV)

As we read these passages as well the rest of the chapter we got excited, this is our hope, this love, the love of God, this is what we hope in. I was moved to tears, I had to go and contemplate and pray through this, God love us? How are we deserving of this?

Maybe you aren't sure of God's love for you, maybe you think that your past is too messed up, that the only way left to earn God's love is by good works or by being a good religious person or by your church attendance. I want to tell you that none of these things are important to God, that His love can't be held back by any of these things, that you have nothing to be ashamed of because Christ's death on the cross has covered our pasts. You are free from condemnation from that, no one can come against you and nothing can destroy you because of God's love.

God Loves YOU

It's not just some cliche, it's not just some propaganda act, it's the real deal. It's why Christ came and suffered a horrible death on the cross so we could be buried with Christ and raised to life in Him. All this He did so that we would have an example of His love, that we might see what true love for us does. "For God so love the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16).

I pray you sit with this thought, that you let it permeate you, that it changes you. That you will allow the Love of God to come into your life and completely change it, you can't stay separated from it if you've been trying to do that, none of us can, eventually every wall we build to keep love out will be broken down because God loves you so much that He will do anything to be close to you.

Let go dear friends, Let God tell you He loves you.

Love in Christ
Jonathan Faulkner

Also available from Jonathan Faulkner
The Surprise of Grace
The Changes Everything
The Mountain Stream

Also available from 10:31 Life Ministries
The College Commitment  By Rev. David Faulkner
A Chosen Generation (1 Peter 2:9) By Angel Edwards
The Truth by Jonathan Faulkner




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