After a tough night with both of us having health issues we woke up 'late' yet it had still been less than eight hours of sleep. My first thought was 'goodness...I wonder if Mort is OK since he didn't wake us up' and the second thought was 'thank the Lord it isn't Sunday!' Before anything else could go through my mind the Lord put "Beautiful" that Mercy Me sings into my head.
Days will come when you don't have the strength
When all you hear is you're not worth anything
Wondering if you ever could be loved
And if they truly saw your heart they'd see too much
I'm not sure why the Lord gave me this song this morning but I do know I am grateful I no longer live in that world. I am grateful for His love, mercy and grace that gives me another chance when I mess up. I know when I do or say the wrong thing and repent He is my God of second chances (and third, fourth, fifth, etc.). I love the words to this song. Many people are not in relationship with Him deep enough to agree that they are beautiful but when we realize our worth to Him we can be. He died for each one of us. If that is not enough to make you feel special, I don't know what is. I love to think that I am 'treasured...sacred...I am His.'
As another day begins I am thinking about several people in my little world who don't feel 'beautiful' in their spirit. Some are not in relationship with the Lord so they have no way of being able to feel beautiful. Some know Him but aren't truly in relationship with Him so they only have glimpses of their beauty in Him. Some are in relationship with Him but struggle with feeling beautiful because of their past. Many times people allow others in this world to tear their spirit into pieces with their words or actions. I must admit there are times when that happens to me. People can tear me down with words in an instant if I allow them that access into my life. That not only brings nasty thoughts into me but it also gives the enemy an open door that I cannot allow him.
I think of the words of Paul in Ephesians 3...
7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. 8 Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, 9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. 10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11 according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. 13 I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.
I love verse twelve. We can "...approach God with freedom and confidence" when we are in relationship with Him. When we are beauty-full of Him, we are beautiful. When people see Him in us, they see beauty. When they hear Him through us, they hear words of life. Today I ask the Lord to fill me with more of Him...fill me to overflowing. I am praying the prayer Paul prayed for the Church of Ephesus for those in my little world...
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
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