A few weeks ago, I was talking to a woman about my algerbra class. I told her "I don't even know why we learn this. It's not like we'll ever need this when we get out of high school!" She looked at me and said these 4 words: "You just never know." I looked at her, puzzled at why she should say this. The wonder must have showed on my face, because she then put this scenario before me. She said, "Let's pretend you're going somewhere. And as you're preparing to go on this trip, there's a big pile of money in front of you-more that a million dollars. You can take as much or as little as you want, but here's the catch-you might not need money where you're going. For all you know, they might use money as toilet paper! You just don't know! With that in mind, how much would you take?" I laughed a little and said, "I'd take a bunch of money!" "Why?" she asked. I thought for a second, and said "Well, the money is free, so why NOT take it? And I don't know for sure if I'll need it or not. I would take it because when I got there, and they used money, I'd be good. If they didn't-oh well. Better safe than sorry." She smiled at me, and by the look on her face, I realized I'd supported her argument. "EXACTLY," she said. "You don't know if you need it or not. If you don't-oh well. It's all free, so why NOT take it? That's how it is with education. You learn things that seem pointless, but it's all free, so why NOT take all you can? And you don't know if you'll need it or not. You just never know."
Now, she was relating that to education, but sitting here, in this car for hours, and thinking about that, I realized you can compare it to God's love. It's all free for us to take. It's right there. So why NOT take it? Why do we chase after these false loves-relationships, friends, even family-these loves we have to work hard for and earn-when God's love is free? And while we don't know if we'll need education later on, I can guarantee this-we WILL need God's love later on. So why don't we just take it? Why do we run FROM God's love, when we should run TO it? This makes me think of a song I like alot. The song starts out written from God's point of veiw, and it says this:
"Where do you hide? Where do you go? Why are you running from me?
Why do you fear, when you know I am near to thee?"
("The Great Love Story" by Jimmy Needham)
When I hear this song, I get chills. It's like I can hear God saying "Why are you running from me?" Another song talks about God's love. The entire song is written from God's point of veiw. It's lyrics go like this:
"Despite the lies that you're making, your love is mine for the taking.
My love is just waiting to turn your tears to roses. I will be the one that's gonna hold you.
I will be the one that you run to. My love is a burding consuming in fire.
No-you'll never be alone. When darkness comes I'll light the night with stars.
Hear my whispers in the dark. No-you'll never be alone.
When darkness comes you know I'll never fall.
Hear my whispers in the dark. You feel so lonely and ragged. You lay here broken and naked.
My Love is just waiting to clothe you in crimson roses.
I will be the one that's gonna find you. I will be the one who's gonna guide you.
My Love is a burning consuming fire..."
("Whispers in the Dark" by Skillet)
Can't you just feel love? Don't you understand? God won't force his love on you. His love is there for you when you're willing to accept it. And God's not some big man in the sky, watching you, waiting for you to make the next mistake so he can tsk-tsk at you, scold you, punish you, and then hold it over your head forever? In my literature class, we recently read some Greek mythology. And reading about those gods made me think "Wow...I'm glad MY God isn't like that!" The Greek gods would all sit up on Olympus, watching the humans at war like it was some sort of game. They took sides, manipulated humans, and treated them like bugs, ready to squash them whenever they so pleased. But the one TRUE God doesn't roll like that. I like the picture these songs paint of God.
"The very same God that spins things in orbit,
Runs to the weary, worn, and the weak.
And the same, gentle hands that hold me when I'm broken,
They conquer death and bring me victory!"
("Redeemer" by Nicole C. Mullen)
"You look down on me, but you don't look down on me at all.
You smile and laugh and I feel the love you have for me.
Yeah I think we're going somewhere.
We're on to something good here.
We're gonna make it after all."
("Pressin' on" by Relient K)
These two quotes say the same thing. While God is so powerful and big, he steps down to our level and holds and comforts us when we need him. I wrote a speech once, and in decribing God and man's relationship, I used the words "Intimacy, like a mother cradling her child". God-this big, all powerful being-comes near to us, and comforts us, holds us, and nurtures us-as if we are his own children from his own flesh and blood. And like I said, it's all free. We don't have to try and earn it. It will never leave us or forsake us. It's perfect love. The BEST love. So why NOT take it? Why run? I close this with this last quote.
"Jesus loves the outcast. He loves the ones the world just loves to hate.
And as long as there's a heaven,
There'll be a failure to excommunicate."
("Failure to Excommunicate" by Relient K)
.....Food for thought.....
