Thursday, December 16, 2004
was lookin around in the youths group webbie. found some really inspiring stories that really touched my heart! read up on them. hope you'll believe be touched and believe in him as much as i do! (:
Hold Me
When a young child wants to be held, they simply reach up their arms and
say: "Hold me!" Children may be hurt, scared, or tired; they may not
even know why they want to be held, but they know that spending time in
arms of love seems to make everything better.
And as a parent looks down at their child, they rarely evaluate them to
determine if they deserve to be held, or send them away to earn
affection; rather, they simply pick up the child and hold them with no
words even being required. In truth, moments like this bring parents
some of their greatest joy!
Matthew 18:3
"I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little
children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."
Our Heavenly Father loves us very much. He wants us to come to Him with
outstretched arms. He wants to pick us up and hold us tight. In truth,
moments like this bring His greatest joy! And yet, we spend most of our
days avoiding our Father's loving arms. We seek other forms of comfort
and work to earn our Father's affection. We pour our heart into
projects thinking they are vitally important to God's work; "Daddy, look
what I made for You!" But our best efforts are as grade school pencil
holders and disfigured flower pots. Our Father smiles at these simple
gifts but wishes we would understand.
There's much work to do for the Kingdom of God, but none more important
than loving and being loved by the One who has loved us since the
beginning of time; "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with
all your soul and with all your mind ! and with all your strength" (Mark
12:30).
This can be a difficult concept for many who have not grown up with the
unconditional love and acceptance of an earthly father - but our Father
in Heaven is like none we've ever known. He created us for a
relationship of love and "gave His only begotten Son" (John 3:16 KJV) so
we could be restored to the relationship which sin stole away. Let
there be no doubt of His love and His promise; "Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5).
He longs for us to return! Yes, we must clean our room, take out the
trash, and treat others nice on the playground - but at the end of the
day, His greatest desire is that we reach up with empty arms and say: I
love You Daddy - hold me!
Website of Jesus.
http://www.donghaeng.net/english/main.htm#
The Road of Life
At first, I saw God as my observer, my judge, keeping track of the things I did wrong, so as to know whether I merited heaven or hell when I die.
He was out there sort of like a president. I recognized His picture when I saw it, but I really didn't know Him. But later on when I met Christ, it seemed as though life were rather like a bike ride, but it was a tandem bike, and I noticed that Christ was in the back helping me pedal. I don't know just when it was that He suggested we change places, but life has not been the same since.
When I had control, I knew the way. It was rather boring, but predictable it was the shortest distance between two points. But when He took the lead, He knew delightful long cuts, up mountains, and through rocky places at breakneck speeds. It was all I could do to hang on!
Even though it looked like madness, He said, "Pedal!" I worried and was anxious and asked, "Where are you taking me?" He laughed and didn't answer, and I started to learn to trust. I forgot my boring life and entered into the adventure, and when I'd say, "I'm scared," He'd lean back and touch
my hand. I gained love, peace, acceptance and joy; gifts to take on my journey,
My Lord's and mine. And we were off again.
He said, "Give the gifts away. They're extra baggage, too much
weight."
So I did, to the people we met, and I found that in giving I received,
and still our burden was light.
I did not trust Him, at first, in control of my life. I thought
He'd wreck it; but he knows bike secrets, knows how to make it bend to take sharp
corners, knows how to jump to clear high rocks, knows how to fly
to shorten, scary passages. And I am learning to shut up and pedal in the strangest
places, and I'm beginning to enjoy the view and the cool breeze
on my face with my delightful constant companion, Jesus Christ.
And when I'm sure I just can't do it anymore, He just smiles and
says...
"Pedal."
{ tear my heart open }
9:32 pm
