I was a little shy when I asked God how big His love is for me in December (refer to previous posts)… and believe you me, He is showing off. Still, there is more. I have been wondering how could there be more, if He is enough? You see, it just hit me.
I get to love Him, too. And when I am loving Him naturally, as I had the pleasure of tonight, I see more more more of His love for me in that He accepts and rejoices in my affections towards Him. I should have seen it coming, but I did not.
There is more to life than receiving the amazing treasure of God’s affections… it is even more precious to give Him back what He has bestowed so freely, to watch the relationship become mutual and distinguished, instead of one sided (His) and grey.
“Everything that may abide the fire, ye shall make it go through the fire…. The Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul…. Thou O God, hast proved us: thou has tried us, as silver is tried.” An excerpt from Daily Light in Elisabeth Elliot’s Passion and Purity.
I feel as though I have been put through a fire… putting my decisions up to the standard of God’s- seeing where I fall so completely and utterly low, seeing where grace allowed me to stand.
I fear, sometimes, the cost of it all. The cost of this fire that is consuming my life- will God leave my life full of ashes?
NO, He will not. I know this, because Jesus didn’t tear us down to die and that be that. He has brought us to Life, the very source of life. Beauty from ashes. Beauty from ashes.
This is another bit of freedom I have found, friends- the peace of losing good things for the sake of following Jesus. Walking with Him. Waiting on Him. Hoping in Him. Trusting His love is a difficult thing- I’m sure it will be worth it!
Glorious!
I send you my love!
-Case
