Devotion

Our culture has set a predictable pattern for beginning relationships today. We are familiar with the routine: We see someone we are attracted to, our eyes meet theirs, we conveniently end up in a conversation with them, we spend a couple of days or weeks flirting until one of us finally admits we’d like to go out, and we start an emotions-led dating relationship in which we always try to present our best side to the other person. Even Christian relationships tend to follow this pattern; the only difference is that we say Jesus Christ is at the center and attempt to prove that fact by praying together, attending church together, and putting a few boundaries around our physical interaction.

But when emotions are leading the way, spiritual oneness cannot be developed. When we are careening along on the unpredictable river of feelings, the current takes control and sweeps us in whatever direction it wants to. We are no longer able to allow Christ to be in total control of the relationship. The other dangerous aspect to consider is that emotional oneness—at its peak—desires to be expressed through physical touch. When emotions are allowed to run rampant, physical temptation becomes all the more intense and harder to control.

The great thing about first having a season of Christ-centered friendship is that a spiritual foundation can begin to develop before those emotions ever get in the way. In a friendship, there is not as much temptation to present only our best side to the other person in hopes that they will like us. We are free to simply be ourselves. We are able to see the other person for who they really are—rather than a smoothed-over, third-date version of their real self. In a friendship, we can tell far more easily if we are on the same page with the other person spiritually, by observing his life in an everyday environment, watching how he treats others, listening to the words he says, and noticing where he puts his time and energy. And if something more is going to happen in the relationship, we can allow our spiritual connection to draw us together, rather than mere physical or emotional attraction. Emotional and physical intimacy can be enjoyed at their fullest when spiritual intimacy comes first.

Immense Love...how can it be??

A couple Sundays ago during church, I had things just jumping out at me from everywhere. It was very amazing and at first I didn't realize the pieces of the puzzle falling into place...how slow can one human be?! The first thing that I specifically remember that really impacted me was when we were singing "And Can It Be"...the chorus made an impression:

Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

Just those words ringing in my head caused tears to come to my eyes. How *can* it be? Why, God? His love towards us is so great and incomprehensible that it amazes me! But that wasn't where it stopped! Our sermon focused on a passage from 1 John. I typically can't focus on something if I'm not doing something else. So while listening to the sermon I also browsed around in the book of 1 John. The first verse that I laid eyes on was this:

1 John 3:1a
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!

As I continued browsing around 1 John I came across several others:

1 John 2:15
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.

1 John 3:16,18, This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

1 John 4:7-12, Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

1 John 5:2-3 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome.

I know this last one isn't from 1 John, but it's one of my favorites that demonstrates God's immense love for us.

Song of Songs 8:7a Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away.

Those were just some really key points that jumped out at me and caused me to look deeper to the real cause within...God speaking words of love to me through His marvelous Scripture. If we simply take the time to look with a passion and desire to learn and be taught, we can be shown so much more then just simple thoughts like these. May God's love be with you today.

God's blessings

Today is one of those days where your eyes are opened to truth...you can see how clearly how merciful God is! Today I woke up and just the whole of outside seemed to be screaming God's glory...like in the Psalms where it says the heavens declare the handiwork of God! I love those passages that speak about how the rocks cry out to God, the mountains leap like rams at the wrath of God, and the waters flee from His presence. It reminds me that God is in entire control of the weather, of all the nature surrounding us. On a car ride with my mum this morning the clouds just struck me. They were so intriguing and fascinating! I heard today one of my friends has turned to Christ at last and is now a Christian! I was so happy I had to just run around with joy and giddiness at the sheer happiness of it all! God is SO good and I can see how there is rejoicing amongst the angels when one repents and turns to God. That was SUCH a huge blessing and I won't get over that for a long time. Also, I just received word that I may have an interview with a job I've wanted for a while. God...you are GREAT. I cannot get over that. I am so full of joy and life today that it can only be given to God alone. May He work in me to influence people around me and bring nothing but glory to His name alone!

This morning

Ok readers,

I want your opinion. Should I do longer posts about things that suddenly strike me throughout my day i.e. guy girl relationships, the roles of men and women in a culture etc. or should I write up littler posts just skimming the topic or maybe whatever is going on in my life? Which is more inviting to read?

Thank you for reading, and for your opinions. If any of you read this any time soon I would love any and all prayers. I go in for some blood tests in just a few minutes. Thanks!

How serious (a.k.a. foolish) can you be??

I was recently talking to a good friend of mine and we got to talking about relationships. After discussing what relationships should look like and how they should advance, she said to me, "Well, I think you're old enough to date, but not to think about marriage." That is truly a contradiction. Dating in today's culture is defined as various relationships in which you get involved and eventually break up. It is to provide momentary pleasure and you know deep in your heart that it won't last but you hold on for the reason that you want to feel love. This is the dumbest thing I ever heard of...how can someone enter into a relationship with a level head knowing that it won't be anything serious enough to consider marriage, but serious enough so that you give away your heart entirely to this person. How is that logical? If you are truly mature enough (who of us are?) you will enter into a relationship fully prepared to end it in "till death do us part." How can one be old enough to date, but not to think about marriage? Marriage is to go hand in hand with dating (or whatever you want to call it, I prefer courting). Do yourself a favor and don't enter into any relationship (whether you think it's serious or not) without even considering marriage. God doesn't wish us to get hurt, but often it's the best way to learn from our foolish mistakes and grow up. I watch as so many of my young (and older) teenage friends "hook up" cuz they're "in love". A month later, two if they're special, they'll break up and come crying to me telling how they were so "compatible and in love". Now they both hurt because of the one foolish mistake to not look ahead but rather to focus solely upon the selfish desires of the heart. What our culture needs is a whole new mindset about how to deal with our relationships which can only happen after our focus turns from ourselves to God alone. His glory is what must be sought after through our relationships and this will create relationships like none other. People will look at us and earnestly seek after what we have. To God be the glory!