Sally Rose

That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb.  No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

That is good stuff.  Amen and amen.

I struggle with many things.  Keeping my room clean, being nice when I’m tired or frustrated, and repeating myself over and over again.  In my day-to-day life these seem important.  I realized something the other day, though.  Something of much greater importance than keeping my room clean.  This may shock some people, but I struggle with loving people who are living a lifestyle that is contrary to all that God teaches.  I find it hard to love people who have made themselves an enemy of God by their choices.  This is a huge failing of mine, and the reason I’m writing about it is because I’ve found that when I admit my faults and flaws, I become more conscious of them. 

I am a very passionate person, and when I believe in something, I believe in it with everything inside me.  I believe in God, and I am so in love with him.  My shortcoming is not loving the people who so desperately need to be shown his love.  I do not consider myself to be a righteous person by any stretch of the word.  I am a sinner, a broken girl, a lost daughter and a wandering soul doomed for death.  Grace saved me, and his glory woke me up from the death I created for myself.   I love God so very, very much.  The battle for me is one of a loyal nature.  If I love God, then I want to hate everything against him.  If I love God, how can I also love someone who is choosing disobedience? 

After reading the Bible for a long time, and praying while trying to sort through my many conflicting thoughts, this is what I realized.  No one is below the reach of Christ’s love and saving grace.  No one is too enveloped in the world that God can’t find him or her.  No one is too caught up with anger or bitterness, that the joy and peace of God can’t pass all understanding and all obstacles.  If God’s love promises to extend to those who turn their face from him if they only call upon his name, then how in the world do I get away with not showing love to those who need it most?  And not just showing it, but really meaning it.  Paul says in Romans that love fulfills the law.  Jesus commanded us to love one another.  If my memory serves me correctly, he didn’t say love those who love God.  But rather he told us to be imitators of God, that is, loving those who need his love, and proclaiming the salvation that Christ offers so freely.  Those living in sin have no inheritance in the kingdom of God, but we are told to walk as children of light, so we may show Christ’s love to those living in darkness.  THAT, my friend, is my calling.  And that is why I know I can love people who choose to disobey the Father.  My heart may be broken for them, and I may become angry with them, but I was called to walk in love as Christ loved me, and gave himself up for me, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.  

I took my cat to the vet today.  He had to get boosters for distemper and feline leukemia.  He got really really nervous when I put him in the carrier.  I don’t really blame him that much because the last time I put him in the carrier, he got a certain part of his anatomy removed and it took him over a week to fully recover.  So yeah, he’s allowed to be nervous.  He cried the entire car ride there and back.  I know he thinks I’m responsible for pain and discomfort, but in reality, I’m just looking out for him and the animals around him.  He got his rabies shots to keep him safe.  He got his distemper and leukemia shots to keep him healthy.  It took some pain and perhaps fear to get there, but it’s done, and in another year, he will have to go through it again.  All to keep him healthy and safe.  In the clinic, when they came to take him back to the exam room, I felt scared for a minute.  Were they going to be kind to him?  Was he scared?  (duh)  Did he think I was being mean to him?  I’m not one of those “animals are people” people, but I do love my cat.  He is my baby. I saved him from an unfortunate death when he was a kitten and gave him food and shelter and loved him and made him my own.  

I was thinking through today, and realized that sometimes, God puts us through something we would term a “trial” so we can come out the other side healthier, safer, wiser, stronger, and know we are loved by a great God.  I’m not saying I am anything like God, but today’s activities reminded me that sometimes God’s way of taking care of me won’t make sense to me at the time.  Actually, there’s a good chance I won’t ever understand why God does something or allows something to happen to me.  I may even feel pain and fear and discomfort for a time, even a season.  Something I read in My Utmost for His Highest yesterday: God doesn’t ever tell us what He will do; He shows us who He is.  

That’s my random thought for the day.