Saturday, February 13, 2010

Seeking the wisdom of Love

It's a running theme, but it's all I have for the moment: How do we, those of us who are half-empty on the norm, turn positive, turn toward the light, turn to the joy of it all?

We must be transformed. How? Positive change is not automatic. It’s not a matter of God doing everything while we just go along for the ride. Nor is it a matter of us taking matters into our own hands and doing it all ourselves. It’s a cooperative effort between us and God.

Paul puts it this way: "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." – Romans 12:2

It's about the mind, which puts me in jeopardy right there.

But in the moments of darkness, that appear way, way too often I understand, I read this (and by the way, if you don't own The Message -- though it be a paraphrase and not a translation -- go get one for your secondary Bible reading. The language is simply wonderful):

Oh, thank God -- he's so good. His love never runs out. All of you set free by God, tell the world. Tell how he freed you from oppression, then rounded you up from all over the place, from the four winds, from the seven seas. Some of you wandered for years in the desert, looking but not finding a good place to live. Half-starved and parched with thirst, staggering and stumbling, on the brink of exhaustion. then in your desperate condition, you called out to god. He got you out in the nick of time.He put your feet on a wonderful road that took you straight to a good place to live. So thank God for his marvelous love, for his miracle mercy to the children he loves.

That says it all. God is a balm when we are injured. He is a love when we are love-less. He is a goal when we are aimless. He is all things and all ways.

Though our circumstances often look terribly bleak and terribly dark, God is there to shine a light on the road ahead. He really does. I've, as anyone who has read any of these in the past month, been in the dark spot. But through it all, through it all, God is there making my way easier than it would have been.

The Psalm above, No. 107, ends this way: If you are really wise, you'll think this over -- it's time you appreciated God's deep love.

I do, I do. I sing songs of praise, even while doubt crawls up my legs like infection. But God is fully capable of washing me clean. He has before. Unfortunately, I guess He will do so again.

He is love. Pure, amazing love. It is time I appreciate it.

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