God's Redemptive Work. Part Three

I was reading a blog entry written by Leslie Vernick entitled "Do You Talk to Yourself?" I knew the answer right away because I am really smart like that. ;) In Leslie's post, she points out that the better question is not "DO we talk to ourselves?" but rather, "HOW do we talk to ourselves?" (I knew that too cuz I'm like a frickin' genius over here!) :)

HOW YOU TALK TO YOURSELF MATTERS (but you knew that too, cuz you're like the smartest cookie in the whole batch!)

It is one thing to be set free from sin, and it is quite another to believe you are set free, isn't it? It is one thing to say that I am bigger than my failures, and it is quite another to live a life that exemplifies that belief.

SPECIFIC EXAMPLE

God loves you.

"Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, we know Alisha. You tell us all the time!"

But do you? Cause I tell YOU all the time, because I am really still trying to convince MYSELF! He loves me??? FOR REAL!?! Because I am painfully aware of where I fall on the "loser" scale most days lately so I have to keep coming back to God and let HIM remind me who I am IN HIM.

I'm HIS girl! HIS BELOVED, for crying out loud!

I can choose to stay stuck at "I'm at the bottom of the loser scale" mentality, or I can let out a deep sigh, realize I let myself go there [AGAIN], and turn to God to let HIM tell me who I am... [again].

He offers you (and me) freedom and LOVE. Do you (and I) live like that? Do the words coming out of your (and my) mouth reflect that truth that God loves you (and me) and has forgiven you (and me)? Check out this tiny part from Leslie's entry.

We can only see ourselves truthfully when we place the eyes of our heart on Jesus and not on ourselves and our sins and failures.

Listen to what Paul writes about how God sees us.

“Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.” (Ephesians 1:4-5)

When we focus on Jesus, it’s not that we aren’t aware of our faults and failures, but our attention doesn’t stay on us. Instead it is fixed on the loving, forgiving, and merciful grace of God. Paul’s response to these great truths is, “So we praise God for his glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.“ It is all about Him. This is the gospel, the good news we celebrate and take refuge in.

(She's neat, don't you think?) Are you searching high and low for freedom, purpose, love, attention, etc. and coming up empty? Might it just be that you are looking in the wrong place? The mirror? Facebook? Magazines? TV? A person? Target's candy aisle? :) What? I'm just sayin'. Okay, and let's just be real. Freedom will never be found looking in a mirror, okay?! :) It might not be a bad idea to stop looking at yourself for a while and look to the one who made you and who delights in you.

Stop for a minute. Do you really want freedom? I mean, do you or not?

If you do,

Stop

for

a

m.i..n...u...t....e.

Choose to claim your freedom.

It's yours for the taking.

Might I suggest that you...

Slow your life d o w n.

. . . A l o t. . . .

Let all the other stuff go for a while. Look to the one who loves you unconditionally. Everything is SCREAMING for your attention! God is just whispering. The urgent is DEMANDING your attention while the important is waiting on your attention. The urgent stuff that is demanding for your attention (usually because someone somewhere is going to get money if you pay attention... you know that right?) :) --sometimes you have to make a choice to drop it for a while to tend to the important stuff in your life, right? GOD looks on you with the love, mercy, grace, and forgiveness that you cannot get ANYWHERE else...no strings attached. Do you want that? It's yours for the taking!! Drop everything else. All the baggage you're holding, juggling, balancing, frustratingly trying not to drop. . . it's okay. You can drop it. Lay it at God's feet and rest in HIM. God's REDEMPTIVE and comforting arms are open to you and you may rest in HIM at any time. Let THIS be your time. Let YOUR freedom RING! Right now. Choose to rest in HIM today.

Just a thought. That's all. If you are interested in reading all that Leslie had to say in this topic you may click here.

Okay... AWESOME SONG TIME!

OH! And YOU ARE LOVED!!!