First of all, happy Thanksgiving! I know it’s a little late, but really it should be Thanksgiving every day. I have so many reasons to be thankful this year. I have been blessed by an incredible job, a great and growing community, and I have really been taken care of by the Father. There is nothing sweeter than being so overwhelmed by His love, knowing that you are resting in His embrace.
Our office was closed Thursday and Friday and we were able to work from home on Wednesday. Me and my roommate, being the extroverts that we are, can’t really handle being in one place for too long so we moved our work station over to Panera around lunch time on Wednesday to finish out that day. One of my favorite things to do is people watch, which can be a blessing and curse because I tend to get a little distracted, but I love how the Lord can show me so much and even convict me just by watching other people and how they interact.
A young woman with a baby walked in with her mother and mother-in –law. They chose to sit at a table not too far away from us, and since I’m naturally drawn to watching babies, they caught my eye. I watched as one of the grandmothers carried the baby boy around the room showing him off to anyone that showed an interest in him. She had this beautiful look of pride and love on her face knowing that child was part of her.
The Lord began to speak to me in this moment showing me that was how He holds me. He is proud of me as His daughter. He continues to love me when I stumble, when I cry, when I become so disobedient, He will still carry me in His arms with a look of pride and deep love because He is a part of me and He has crafted me to be the woman I am.
I learned how to feel God’s love when I was on the race. When it came down to it, I was preventing myself from feeling Him. I was trying to control the love or the relationship, like I tend to do in other relationships, and I realized I was loved by my Father and nothing would change that. Sure there are times when I know I have hurt Him or disappointed Him but when I swallow my pride and go before Him to repent, I am swept back up into His arms again.
So when you are thinking about what you are thankful for and even as this season begins to remember the birth of our Savior, know that YOUR FATHER loved you so much that He sent His Son to die for you. There is nothing you can do to make Him love you less. He has already loved you enough to make the greatest sacrifice. Know you are LOVED and you are SAVED by HIS GRACE. He wants all of you, just are you are, in your child-like innocence and disobedience or in your maturity and hunger. Be thankful for the God that is love. He would carry you around with a look of pride and deep love because He gave you life and a life for Him is a life that is not waste but a blessing.
