When God Longs For You

I’ve hesitated to pen these words because I’m still in the middle of ‘it’.  ‘It’ being bronchitis.  But, when Daddy longs for you, he is relentless. And I mean it’s like a ‘bulldog comin’ after you’ kind of pursuit, in a good way!

I realize some folks, even family members who think I’m slightly over the top about how I interpret life, may disregard what I’m about to write, but I don’t really care.

My life is just that.  Mine.

But I digress.

Feeling awful has revealed two things about me I’m not proud of.

The first is that when I’m sick, I am less likely to give a rip about what comes out of my mouth.  It’s almost like I throw away my filter.  I know, it’s unbelievable, right?  How is that even possible? More on that in another post!

Secondly, my intentional time spent with Jesus bottomed out.  All I’ve thought about is  “I CAN’T BREATHE’!  What’s made it worse is my sweet friend’s sent me stuff to read. That’s the last thing I wanted to do when all my energy’s been spent expectorating!  This ain’t to say that I’ve not been talking to God, but my prayers are quite myopic AND I haven’t read His Word for too many days.

Surely I’m not the only one who struggles maybe just a little bit in the same way. Well, thank God for His unconditional, unbiased passion for me, the girl with a mouth that’s needed muzzling!

So, to get back to what I wanted to share.

Oh ya, that.

Around nine o’clock, after I got my bearings, I stumbled out back to let my grumbling chickens out of their cottage. They were NOT happy with me, I was miserably late!

IAs I opened the door, I heard these wild bird sounds I’ve never heard before.  Even Sir Winston began barking, running all over the yard to ‘find’  these bizarre bird squawkings/frog sounds (seriously).  I meandered to the alley that’s more like a jungle now, traipsing through spider webs and clapping to try and scare/see what was making such loud noises.  I think my clapping finally scared them away and all I  saw were wings.

Dang!  I didn’t get to see them.

I fed the fish, came in and fed Onyx, our baby bunny and the chicks, and then headed to my bed AGAIN.  But instead of going back to sleep, I Youtubed the sound of crows and ravens.  They were ravens.  Check it out: Raven sounds.

So, what’s the big deal and what does that have to do with God?  Because I believe that God is always speaking and because I’m in a relationship with him, then to me, it’s not circumstantial that something unusual like that can happen to speak to me.

Ravens fed Elijah by the brook, and Jesus spoke of ravens in Luke 12.  I opened my Bible to that chapter and began to read with an open mind, expecting to hear His voice just for me.  Now, did I HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD?  Not like that, no.  But, I can say that my spirit bore witness with His that there were things He wanted me to know.

For starters, not to worry or be afraid.  Lately, well, since I’ve not been my ‘busy bee’ self, I’ve thought about how I’ve been a consumer and not a producer.  Sigh.  As if my life and what I do determine my worth.

Also, the beginning of that chapter, which I encourage everyone to read, is about hypocrisy.  I hate that word.  Probably mostly because I struggle with the hypocrisy I walked in for so many years and still catch myself being strangled by.  These words are like fire:

“Be continually on your guard against the [a]leaven of the Pharisees [that is, their pervasive, corrupting influence and teaching], which is hypocrisy [producing self-righteousness]. But there is nothing [so carefully] concealed that it will not be revealed, nor so hidden that it will not be made known. For that reason, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed on the housetops.”  Luke 12:1-3

Bam!  In just two verses, a conviction for fussing about something to my Love rather than talking to God about!  I had to repent.  AND I ONLY READ TWO VERSES.

Let’s move on to two more:

“I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will point out to you whom you should fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority and power to hurl [you] into [b]hell; yes, I say to you, [stand in great awe of God and] fear Him! ”  Luke 12:4-5

Holy cow! Now the fear of God has my attention. And the very next verse, I wish I could say it out loud for you to hear because I believe it’s said with such love that all FEAR of HELL is gone…

Are not five sparrows sold for two [c]copper coins? Yet not one of them has [ever] been forgotten in the presence of God. Indeed the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not be afraid; you are far more valuable than many sparrows.”

I don’t honestly think these verses can be separated.  God is God.  He has all authority and, as Creator of all things, knows us inside out.  Yet, His longing is for us to know Him.

I wanna know Him.  He’s so practical.  He talks about the hair on our head, sparrows, things no one sees like our thoughts.

Down in verse 24, Jesus mentions ravens in reference to their being cared for by God.  Am I not more valuable to him than birds?  Yes, of course, I am.  But it’s verses 31-32 that are the clincher for me for, you see,  I heard the same words in my sleep the night before.  Don’t ask how I know that’s true.  I just do.

31 “But seek His kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. 32 Do not be afraid and anxious, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

This is MY GOD.  He is always for me.  Always pursues me and will even send a bunch of ravens to remind me of His love!

Thank God for the birds.  They remind us of so many things: we are weak like them, He uses them to speak to us, He feeds them and since we are more valuable, won’t He feed and provide for us?

Miss busy bee here, slowing down long enough to catch my breath, pun intended, and reflect on Jesus’ words today.  I am more valuable to God than birds, He will take good care of me.  He asks that I chase Him and His Kingdom and all the things I long for…they’re mine.  What a Daddy!