All you need is love...

I had this idea of doing a God blog - for my own use really as I'm struggling to spend time with God and be motivated to seek him... to write down all I hear from God and any Scripture that stands out to me, any revelation I get, any prayers I have... but I guess I don't know where to start as God's being pretty silent at the moment (but then again I'm not exactly asking him to speak!!)

I'm just gonna start with this from Matthew 7 coz it came to me this morning and it made me think about just how awesome God is and how his first priority isn't how well we do performance-wise, it's not about how many people we bring to him, it's not about how good we are or how spiritual or how many times we pray each day... it's all about love - he wants us to love him and spend time with him, a genuine relationship is what he's after - honest, whole hearted time with God:

'Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me you evildoers!'

Ouch! Well now I'm thinking I'm a bit of a spoilt-brat child of God, expecting him to make me happy and provide for me how I want him to if I do this or that for him! I always find it difficult to understand that what God wants is my love and not a spiritual performance and perfection. I think I know it, but when it actually comes to living it out, I always want to impress people before showing my genuine love for God... my priorities need a bit of a jumble! Don't get me wrong, I'm not expecting it to be an instant transformation where everything I do is for Jesus, but I have realised that it's not something I remind myself of very frequently and I think I could find a fair bit os Scripture to help me re-jig my priorities and do a bit of daily meditation or whatever to remind myself what my life is actually all about!

I mean obedience to the Spirit is another huge issue that crops up out of this verse, 'doing the will of the Father.' I guess that when you really show your love for God and are eager to spend time with him and seek him, that out of that love, obedience will come more naturally. A bit like a relationship with a person. When you love somebody you want to do things to please them and to make them smile. Also though when you spend time with somebody, you get to know what they like and dislike and you get to know more of their character.

I think a key to gaining passion for God is an understanding of who he is, that he is a soveriegn and fully good God who does everything out of love, whether we can see that or not. His discipline and correction for us is out of love, and in all our pain he loves us and comforts us and feels our pain too, and unless you can trust God with all you have because he gave you every last bit of it, when bad things happen you're gonna go into panic or depression mode. But God gives and he takes away and it's all for the greater good at the end of the day, whether we can get that or not! God himself tells us not to be anxious about anything, but to pray and be thankful (Philippians 4:6). God has it all under control! Sometimes when God asks you to do crazy things or when your life is turned upside down, I guess it's only when you have built up a trust in him that you can be obedient and peaceful, knowing that 'in all things God works for the good of those who love him...' (Romans 8:28)

People go through real shit in life - I mean there's so much disgusting stuff that's happening all around us; rape, murder, sickness, disease, deceit, corruption, hatred... But when I think that nothing is hidden from God, and that he knows every motive, every hurt, every angry thought, every anxiety and every heartbeat and has it all under control and knows where it's leading, it kinda makes you wonder why we worry so much in the first place! Again, it says in Matthew 6 about how worrying doesn't get you anywhere, 'Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?' - so true! Worry just leads to seperation from God because we're not trusting that he has it sorted.

Again, don't get me wrong, I'm not expecting to have some deep transformation in my being that means I never worry again because I've realised it doesn't get me anywhere, but it's interesting to think about don't you think!?

Lord I thank you for all that you are. That you love me whatever and that everything is in your hands. I praise you for your beautiful and absolutely awesome creation and all the ways you show your love and your character in what you've made. I thank you Lord Jesus that you call me your friend and that I can have confidence in knowing that I am a child of the Living God all due to what you did when you died on the cross and rose again giving all who choose to believe in you new life, a brand new start. I thank you that you call me holy and blameless in your name and that I can come before the Father with freedom and confidence, speaking as his adored child. I pray that you will help me to trust you and to be obedient and open to what your Holy Spirit is saying and where you're guiding me and what you're teaching me in different situations. I pray that my friends and family will know more of your love and have the peace from you that transcends all understanding. God I ask that you will help me to be an encouragement to others and that I will be a light that guides people to you, someone who expresses your love. I pray that you will give me understanding and wisdom and that you will keep me on the right path, loving you and sharing your love. In Jesus' name. Amen