God Is Passionate About You

In God's household people matter. People matter more than reputation (Jesus made himself of no reputation), more than any material thing or status, people matter in God's heart. Jesus was not intimidated nor fearful of being associated with, nor befriending the outcasts of society. Dirty scruffy belligerent bold fishermen were members of His inner circle. Sinners whose life choices brought them in direct conflict with His teachings of truth and righteousness were recipients of His grace. To the proud and arrogant, the willfully disobedient; those duped by fear and pain, hurt and disappointment, those whose anger clouded their vision and those who lost their way; the teachings of Jesus Christ brought light and hope and freedom. They were all given the same grace and opportunity to turn from the error of their ways, even after they had walked with Jesus Christ and lived with Him and followed Him, when they erred, He forgave and His grace and mercy were abundant. He who has never sinned cast the first stone. God loves us so much as He sees us in our broken and erring path, hits us with a 2X4 (or a bright and blinding light, or a vision of eating unclean things, or sets us in a pig pen, starving) to get our focus aright, and a proper vision again. When that moment of clarity comes, however that may be, we see that we are in the wrong...and our sin is primarily against the One who died for us to set us free. It is that love affair with Jesus Christ, a passion for Him that will not only turn us around, but keep us focused on The Way. If my people will humble themselves and pray...I will hear and I will heal. Admitting wrong, humbling acknowledgement and repentance are accepted by God. God rejoices when we turn to Him, no matter how far, how hard, how long a time we have fallen away. We matter to Jesus Christ. He called us "friends" and gave us the example to follow. Friendship is not easy. Friendship is a great art and must be worked at and upon often. True friendship is not a mask to wear when convenient and comfortable, it is "one of the distinguishing glory's of man" (John Adams). Friendship bears with the disappointments and hurts. Friendship comes along side to shore up brokenness's and battered lives. Friendship requires no conditions, it means you have made somebody else more important than you are to yourself. In friendship there is a rock to lean upon in times of storm. Friendship is easy in good times, when laughter is abundant. Augustine said it well when he wrote in City of God,"what gives us consolation in this human society filled as it is with errors and troubles, if not the sincere loyalty and mutual love of true and good friends." Our supreme hope and effort should be to fully enjoy and cultivate a friendship and intimacy with our Creator, having that relationship reflected in our friendships with one another.

God is passionate about you.