Good and loved...

    As I look back over this past year, I thank God for taking me through every bit of it. I was never alone. I think that is the key takeaway for me for this year - God was with me every step of the way.
    I learned so many lessons along the way, but through it all one of the things that gave me strength especially in tough times was knowing that I was never alone in any of it. God was always right there with me - whether I could feel Him or not - guiding me, strengthening me, keeping me. 
    Last week, I briefly mentioned a song sung by Travis Greene and Steffany Gretzinger entitled: “Good and Loved.” That song had been playing in my mind for some days and I was reminded and encouraged by the fact that because God is good, I am loved. When you think about it, that is a source of comfort because it means that you and I don’t have to do anything to be loved by God. We don’t have to be good, we don’t have to have it all together. We can come to Him just as we are and He will love us no matter what.
    I think of the birth and death of Jesus. God did not come in the form of flesh because we were good enough or worthy enough. In fact, the Bible says: “God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) Jesus came in the form of flesh to die! He did not come to have a good time here on earth. He was born so that He could die in order to give us the gift of salvation! We celebrate Christmas, yet, the reality of what we celebrate is wrapped up in the fact that God sacrificed His best so that we could ultimately live! That’s how good God is. His goodness is all wrapped up in His love for us. I don’t think you can separate the two.
    One of the verses of the song says:
    There’ll be times when you’re up
    And times when you’re down
    I’m never too far
    Just look around and you’ll find me
    I’m by your side, arms open wide
    I am good you are loved…
God’s constant presence is proof of His love for us. He is never far away. He’s always there just waiting and looking for an opportunity to come to our aid if we need it. We don’t even have to ask, God knows what we want and need before we ask for it. 
    I recall the story in the Bible of the widow of Nain (Luke 7:11-17). She had lost her husband and had now also lost her son, the one responsible for providing the support she so desperately needed. She never uttered a word of request to Jesus. In fact, He was the One who saw her pain and was filled with compassion for her. He made the choice to raise her son back to life. He made the choice to help her in her time of need! It was His goodness, His compassion, His love for us that moved Him to help someone who had not even asked for His help. 
    I believe God does the same for us everyday. Everyday He chooses to give us life whether we ask for it or not; He chooses to supply needs; He chooses to save, to deliver, to heal, to do more sometimes than what we ask for. He chooses to be God, He chooses to be good and to show love even though we don’t deserve it. It’s not about us. It’s about Him.
    So, I invite you to look back over the past year and remember God’s goodness and love towards you even when you did not deserve it. Give Him thanks and show Him appreciation for all that He has done. He may not have given you everything you wanted or asked for, but He certainly gave you what you needed. He is still good and you are loved!
    If you have not accepted Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, I encourage you to do so today. God loves you no matter what. His love is not dependent on you but on His choice to love you … just as you are. 
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