believe in me...

As I look at those around me and into my own heart I see so much pain, disappointment, failure... all of these leading up to hopelessness, and giving up. The truth is we all have failings and we all make mistakes, sometimes huge mistakes that cause a lot of pain. We all have character and personality flaws, not one of us is perfect.

But God is teaching me to hope, teaching me to believe in what He is making us into rather than what we are today. There is so much growth and hope and maturity that can come simply by someone else believing the best in us, especially when there isn't much apparent to believe in . When we see each other for what we could be, will be, rather than what we have been or are, we give new life to one another, a chance to hope, the courage to move forward, the humility to admit our weaknesses and the strength to allow God to move in our hearts and lives, making us, continually into a new creation.

There are two opportunities for us here, one is for us to know how God sees us, Hebrews 10:14 says He sees us as perfect! "For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified." He sees us as though looking through Christ, fully redeemed! Praise God! Let us fix our eyes on Jesus and rest in His thoughts for us, they are pure and lovely and filled with hope. He will never give up on you! In Him you stand perfected and He is committed to sanctifying you for Himself and for His kingdom.

The second is to begin to believe the best in others, to see them for who they could be, giving them the hope and courage and faith to move towards that. Paul speaks of this when he talks of love in 1 Corinthians 13, there is so much life in truly loving others according to God's Word and in a way that only His Spirit can accomplish.

God is continually working on each of us, as the master potter, we are the clay in His hands, He will complete the good work He's begun! May He help us to see it now and walk in it!
Amen

"Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity; but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails."

The Love Letter

He left it for me where He knew I'd find it, but just in case I missed it He had a friend bring me a copy, but in case she couldn't reach me He slipped one in the mail and if all else failed He left one just outside my door. My name was printed on the outside in the most beautiful gold letters, I knew it must be special. I could hardly wait to open it, my heart was overwhelmed, was it possible that someone thought I was that special?

I lifted the pages and began to read, it was a story, a story of beauty and joy, delight and hope, but suddenly tragedy entered in. My heart ached was this where the story would end? I read on knowing there must be more, He loved me so much to write me this letter, there must be a hope for love to triumph. Just when I thought all was lost, He came himself and paid the cost. All the pain and sorrow He took upon Himself bringing hope for tomorrow. All I had to do was trust in Him, believe that He loved me and had covered my sin.

A love greater there never has been, wait till you see all that He has for those who are in Him. I finished the letter, I read every last page, it told a story from the beginning of time to the end of the age. Inter-weaved throughout was a story of love, a perfect love that could only come from our Father above. I knew it was special, He made sure I received it, it meant so much to Him, He left it for me just where I would find it, He spoke straight to my heart with not only His Words but His actions. My love, my Jesus, created me and redeemed me and sent me His Word, the greatest love letter, so that I would know, secure in His love, at my last breath to heaven I will go.