Live In His Love

"But you, dear friends, carefully build yourselves up in this most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit, staying right at the center of God's love, keep your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our Master, Jesus Christ. This is the unending life, the real life."
(Jude 20-21, THE MESSAGE)

What is real life supposed to be like? As Christians our real life should be living at the center of God's will. Living with the awareness each day of God's presence in our life. Even though we know He is always with us, we often neglect the relationship He offers. We do the same thing with the love He offers. We have a head knowledge of it, but a true heart knowledge that keeps our heart right at the center of His love, we do not.

We get so caught up in everything that is going on in and around our lives that we don't take the time each day to acknowledge God to see if we are in His will. Proverbs 3:5 & 6 is one of my favorite scriptures and it was my mother's favorite as well. You remember it, quote it with me: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto thine own understanding, in all thy ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.

If we will take the time each day to ask God if we are in the center of His will, He will answer us. Will the answer come when we want it, how we want it, and be the answer we want it to be? Only God knows. It probably won't come when and how we want it, but if we live each day as close to Him as we can, then as He leads and directs us the answer will be what we need it to be.

A very important thing for us to remember is if we stay in a close relationship with God, He will guide us day by day. We may want to know what the future holds, but most of the time we would not be able to handle seeing the future. God has to reveal it to us one day at a time. It is like my husband, Tommy, preaches about the puzzle box. We always want to see the box lid when we are putting a puzzle together. But in real life, God doesn't show us the box lid, He can see it, but we only get one puzzle piece at a time. But if we allow Him to guide and direct us in each small decision, the large ones always turn out right as well.

Too often we make it more difficult than it really is. We desperately seek God's will when He simply wants us to live each day to please Him and in each place we find ourselves obey His Word and live a life to bring glory to Him. We have not been created for our own purposes, but to be used by Him and that our lives may glorify Him.

We need to allow God to reveal His love to us in our day to day lives and we need to recognize it. What are some ways He reveals that love: providing for our daily needs, through the Word, through the love and kindness of a friend or family member, through the beautiful scenes of nature, and also through the inner peace we experience.

The challenge today is for you to take the time to write a thank you note to God for the ways He has revealed His love for you today.