The Steadfast Love of God

The Steadfast Love of God

Believing in the depths of my heart that I am loved by my God is hard.  Keeping track of my inadequacies, my shortcomings, my sinful attitudes, my failures puts a wall between us—God and me.  I understand that the whole "I think I should be punished;" "I don't deserve His love; I deserve Him to turn His back on me," keeps me from seeing Him and His love.  Maybe it has something to do with how I feel when others disappoint me.  Do I turn my back?  Do I love less?  Do I want them punished?  And even when I know I have disappointed others, there is that tendency to stay away, avoid, not make eye contact....not look in their face—does my God do that when I disappoint?

No, NO, NO!!! And He loves no matter what I do or don't do. He NEVER turns His back.  He looks at me full in the face and calls me "Child."  Even now He is keeping on loving, and loving, and loving no matter my inadequacies, my shortcomings, my sinful attitudes, my failures. There is nothing I can or can't do that will remove me from His "steadfast love and faithfulness."

"The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;
   his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
   great is your faithfulness."  Lamentations 3:22-23

"Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens,
   your faithfulness to the clouds."  Psalm 36:5

Graces remembered today:
*love that never ceases
•mercies that never come to an end
•love and mercy that are new every morning
•The heavens (and the huge, white, moon last night is only the beginning of a forever and ever Universe)
•And YES, the clouds

And more graces:
135.  Mail....Christmas cards and letters to read and read
136.  Larry's praise "I'm praising the Lord.  If you can't do that, you are in the wrong crowd."
137. Grown-up children who care and love and advise
138.  Down comforters to warm
139.  Windows to let light reflect on goodness inside and out
140.  Computer music to accompany thought
141.  Christmas carols, the Birthday songs of December
142.  Washing machines and dryers
143.  Christmas smells
144.  The Holy Spirit's abiding presence, urgings,keeping power
145.  A friend, friends, and more friends