Forgiveness...a beautiful thing.

How many times do you sit, thinking there is absolutely no way that God could ever forgive you? That there is no way that He could ever actually want to take the time to forgive your every sin. Do you ever have those days when you feel so lost and confused by the enemy and his temptations? Have you ever fallen face first into sin and felt as thought God would never forgive you? Do you ever feel as though your sin is just simply way too big for Him to forgive? Are you ever overwhelmed by just the thought of sin?

Tonight during bible study we dug into Psalm 65. As we were reading, verse 3 really hit me hard; it was as if God was sitting beside me yelling it at me.

"Though we are overwhelmed by our sins, You forgive them all."

Psalm 65:3

I've read this verse a gazillion times and each time God's spoken, but tonight He decided to yell. In just a handful of words you see grace, mercy, redemption, forgiveness, and love.

Dig deep into your imagination and imagine with me for just a minute...Imagine that you are in God's place. Imagine that you created every living thing. Imagine that you came to earth and walked and lived among your people. Imagine that you became a living sacrifice for your people; that you endured extreme pain and suffering on their behalf. Imagine that you allowed yourself to be mocked, stripped naked, your skin ripped to shreds, placed upon a cross, nails to be driven into your hands and feet, and a crown of thorns placed upon your head so that your people may experience eternal life. Imagine that though you suffered greatly, died, and rose again all so that they may live; your people continue to daily fail you. Imagine that even though your people believe completely in you, they continue to fall into sin.

Let's come back to reality...If you and I were in God's place forgiveness probably wouldn't even exist, and love would come and go. Praise Jesus that's not the case, that you and I aren't in His place. The beauty of this verse is that it's real. God truly does love us unconditionally, and even though He absolutely cannot stand any ounce of sin, He still offers us complete and total forgiveness.

On those days when you seem to be overwhelmed and tangled up in sin, know that He is only a heart cry away. When you can't seem to find your way out, know that He is sitting there waiting for you to grab hold of His hand. Know that His forgiveness is real; that it's complete. There is absolutely NO sin too horrible or too big for His forgiveness. We ALL fall EVERY single day, and He offers us TOTAL forgiveness EVERY single time we fall.

However, His forgiveness isn't something that we should take for granted and think, 'oh, well I can indulge in this sin, He'll forgive me. All I have to do is just ask.' His forgiveness isn't meant to be a bandaid to put over sin to try and make it better, just so we can go indulge in it all over again in 30 minutes, and return only to get another bandaid of forgiveness. No, it's when we come to Him with a completely broken and repentant heart that He forgives us.

I pray that you would see forgiveness in a whole new way, that you would see it's realness. I pray that you would daily dig deep in Jesus and run from temptation. I pray that when you do fall, you wouldn't become overwhelmed, but that you would seek deep into Jesus and truly long for His forgiveness. I pray that you would daily be renewed as His mercies are new every morning. I pray that you would begin to fall more in love with your Maker like never before. I pray that He would use you in a mighty way each and every day. I pray that you would grab hold of this verse, and that you would experience His complete forgiveness in a new and beautiful way.

NoLongerOverwhelmed.

my heart...pouring out.

I ask myself, where did he go?

Did he climb back in the tree?

Did he become restless and leave early?

Did he stop running?

I sit in wonder.

Questioning my King.

It makes no sense.

But I know I must let go.

I am being stretched further than ever.

I am being prepared for a journey unseen.

My heart is being gardened.

I am learning to trust again.

He is my joy.

My peace.

My strength and security.

He is love.

Love so beautiful.

I let go.

I no longer sit in wonder.

I stand with a heart at peace.

I run free.

I run fast.

I run after He, my one and only King.

I cling to my Jesus.

I fall into His love. I fall deeper than ever.

I surrender. Totally.

I begin to dance a new dance.

While in the arms of my King.

As He sings over me.

I will press on.

I will dig deep.

I will embark on this journey.

I will climb this mountain.

I will cling tight.

I will trust hard.

I will carry Him across the nations.

I will SHOUT His name.

Love.

So beautiful. So pure.

Unfailing. Unending. Unconditional.

Love.

What my heart grabs hold of.

What my heart pours out.

What I long to give.

The love of my King.

The tree will become empty again.

Understanding will be regained.

His heart will surely run again.

He will be changed.

For his warrior I will still be.

“O God, You are my God; I earnestly search for You. My soul thirsts for You; my whole body longs for You in this parched and weary land, where there is no water. I have seen You in Your sanctuary and gazed upon Your power and glory. Your unfailing love is better than life itself, how I praise You! I will praise You as long as I live, lifting up my hands to You in prayer. You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise You with songs of joy. I lie awake thinking of You, meditating on You during the night. Because You are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of Your wings. I cling to You, Your strong right hand holds me securely.” Psalm 63:1-8

DiggingDeep&PressingOn.

Sitting in wonder, clinging to my Creator.

I'm holding tight to my King, yet it all seems

to be falling fast.

the enemy sees it as a battle won, but oh there's

so much more to come.

it all may be blurred, but I refuse to sit still.

though the music may seem faded, my heart

still hears every word.

into the arms of my Maker I fall, and in His

steps I follow.

dancing to the sound of His song over me.

my thoughts are lost and unsure of where to go.

but those of my Jesus are firm and forever.

my heart aches at the single thought of a door

slowly closed.

yet my heart rejoices in His will fulfilled.

lost and confused I sit before my Creator.

my heart spilt before Him.

with nothing but myself, I offer it all to Him.

with my heart before Him and myself in

His hands, I step down.

I step down from the tree.

I refuse to leave until I fully understand.

no, it won't all make sense.

but at least there will be peace.

peace that surpasses all understanding.

I continue to wonder how much longer.

how much longer until it's done.

until it's complete.

until it makes perfect sense.

that is the day I long for.

but even without answers.

without complete understanding.

without clear direction.

without total peace.

I run.

I run to you.

my David.

my Zacchaeus.

my Nicodemus.

my warrior.

I run with my whole heart.

though it makes no sense, my heart still

longs to pray.

to pray for you.

time.

date.

neither matter.

I flood the feet of my King with overflowing tears.

the cries of my heart are made known.

questions consume my mind.

yet my soul is still.

I float upon clouds of peace.

I see you near.

with a mind filled with wonder and a soul

that is still.

I refuse to let go.

cling tight.

that is what I will do.

in the blurriest moments I will run.

I will run in faith.

I will continue to expect only amazing things.

my heart will still pray and my soul will still love.

your warrior I will still be.

my soul can't help but sing.

my heart can't help but dance.

sitting in wonder, clinging to my Creator.

ILoveYou.

Do you hear the music?

I'm re-reading Just Like Jesus, by Max Lucado... I read this particular section last night, and I just had to share it...

*I am going to conclude by telling you a story you've heard before, though you've not heard it as I'm going to tell it. But you have heard it. Surely you have, for you are in it. You are one of the characters. It is the story of the dancers who had no music. Can you imagine how hard that would be? Dancing with no music? Day after day they came to the great hall just off the corner of Main and Broadway. They brought their wives. They brought their husbands. They brought their children and their hopes. They came to dance.

The hall was prepared for a dance. Streamers hung, punch bowls filled. Chairs were placed against the walls. People arrived and sat, knowing they had come to a dance but not knowing how to dance because they had no music. They had balloons; they had cake. They even had a stage on which musicians could play, but they had no musicians. One time a lanky fellow claimed to be a musician. He sure looked the part, with his belly-length full beard and fancy violin. All stood the day he stood before them and pulled the violin out of the case and placed it beneath his chin. Now we will dance, they thought, but they were wrong. For though he had a violin, his violin had no strings. The pushing and pulling of his bow sounded like the creaking of an unoiled door. Who can dance to a sound like that? So the dancers took their seats again. Some tried to dance without the music. One wife convinced her husband to give it a try, so out on the floor they stepped, she dancing her way and he dancing his. Both efforts were commendable-but far from compatible. He danced some form of partnerless tango, while she was spinning like a ballerina. A few tried to follow their cue, but since there was no cue, they didn't know how to follow. The result was a dozen or so dancers with no music, going this way and that, bumping into each other and causing more than one observer to seek safety behind a chair. Over time, however, those dancers grew weary, and everyone resumed the task of sitting and staring and wondering if anything was ever going to happen. And then one day it did. Not everyone saw him enter. Only a few. Nothing about his appearance would compel your attention. His looks were common, but his music was not. He began to sing a song, soft and sweet, king and compelling. His song took the chill out of the air and brought a summer-sunset glow to the heart. As he sang, people stood-a few at first, then many-and they began to dance. Together. Flowing to a music they had never heard before, they danced. Some, however, remained seated. What kind of musician is this who never mounts the stage? Who brings no band? Who has no costume? Why, musicians don't just walk in off the street. They have an entourage, a reputation, a persona to project and protect. Why, this fellow scarcely mentioned his name! 'How can we know what you sing is actually music?' they challenged. His reply was to the point, 'Let the man who has ears to hear use them.' But the non-dancers refused to hear. So they refused to dance. Many still refuse. The musician comes and sings. Some dance. Some don't. Some find music for life, others live in silence. To those who miss the music, the musician gives the same appeal: 'Let the man who has ears to hear use them.'*

This entire chapter was on having a listening heart, and this particular part really jumped out at me. Think about it, how many times do we refuse to listen to the music of our Maker? If we never listen, how will we ever learn the dance steps? Would you rather clomp around on the dance floor, or dance gracefully in the arms of the King? He's continually singing over us, and there's a continual invitation for us to dance with Him.

Let God have you, and let God love you-and don't be surprised if your heart begins to hear music you've never heard and your feet learn to dance as never before!

DancingWithMyKing.