God is NOT like....

During this time of fasting, my focus has really been to pray for each of you. I always do, you know. But this is been a special, focused, intense time of connecting with God for you. And this sentence has been ringing through my head for days, like an important message that I have been instructed to deliver to you.

God is not like your dad.

Let me explain what I mean by that.

God is not indifferent; God’s love is ever and always, eternally present, He is “a very present help in time of need."

God is not forgetful of you, he is not “out of sight, out of mind,” but instead he says, “Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, Yet I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands.”

God is not absent, but has promised,” I will never leave you nor forsake you and For even if the mountains walk away and the hills fall to pieces, My love won’t walk away from you.”

God is not like your dad.

God is not too busy to see you, not too involved elsewhere to be present in your life. You are always in his mind. Read this: “How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand.”

God is not self-centered and self-interested in regards to you. His love is not cautious, but completely and totally extravagant. He doesn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us

God is not spiteful; He never says, “I’m done with you.” Never. God is “both tender and kind, not easily angered, immense in love, and He never, never quits.”

God is not like your dad.

God is not indifferent and disinterested. He is not so busy with other things and other people that he is unaware of you. God, high above, sees far below; no matter the distance, he knows everything about us.

God is not hard to reach, not difficult to connect with. He promises that when we call, he is already listening. When we seek Him, he is easy to find.

God does not need affirmation from you; He is already good and perfect and loving and holy and totally gracious. He just loves you without reservation.

God is not like your dad.

God’s love for you does not depend on anything you do or do not do. His love toward you is a loyal love, a chasing love, a “everlasting love.” He says, “I have called you by name, You are mine.” Rejection doesn’t faze Him. He is faithful, no matter what.

Words

I love words. Because I am a reader and a writer, I am intrigued by the "turn of a phrase." I love the proverb that says, "Well spoken words bring satisfaction."

Having just spent 9 days with 9 people staying at my house and 4 to 10 more hanging out for the holiday, I have heard a lot of words. The people in my family are, for the most part, quite verbose ("Using or containing a great and usually an excessive number of words") and so the words have flown.

We love to tease one another and one of the things I love about my family is that we do not take offense (for the most part) but enjoy in the intimacy that is contained in that kind of kidding around. It truly is a sign of affection and we all enjoy a good slam and can take them as well as we give them and be duly impressed by the skill (?) involved.

At the same time, I have always tried to be careful with my words; I believe in choosing them rather than flinging them. And so I will choose some words now, to encourage your choice of words.

Let your words be:

Gracious, not annoying or aggresive.

Pleasant, not offensive or repugnant.

Kind, not mean for the sake of being mean.

Courteous, not rude, not irritating.

Merciful, not punishing or judgmental.

Compassionate and kind, not mean-spirited.

Wise, not giving out information that should be private.

Polite, not shocking and harsh.

Tactful, never crude or purposely shocking.

I end with another proverb: Careful words make for a careful life; careless talk may ruin everything.