On the Outlook for Bugs and Crazy Love Chapter 3

We do a lot of playing bug watching these days.

Kaden is always looking fascinated by bugs!  All kinds of bugs.  Lady bugs are a favorite, he'll say, "grab it!"   But, he will collect June bugs and grasshoppers  "hoppers" as well.
We have had so much fun outside with this little ball of energy.  He is FAST!  Sometimes we can not catch him when he takes off running.

This poor baby boy is so fair complected like his momma, we will have to buy stock in the Water Babies sun block company, for sure.

That's a ladybug on his hand.

Crazy Love  Book-Chapter 3
I should get the worst friend of the year award for getting  my friend, Megan to buy this book, then not having the time to get together and discuss it like I had really hoped and prayed to do.  I'm sorry Megan!  I also bought this book for Hilary and my friend Crystal told me she bought it to after reading my first post.  I will I had time to get us all together to talk about the wonderful truths in this book.  I hope that you are all at least still reading it.

I have only read through Chapter 3, gonna start 4 this week.  Today actually.  So, Chapter 3 really spoke to my heart in many ways, very personal and stirring ways.  Things in my life I had not thought about in years came up for me in this chapter.  I can't share them all here, unfortunately, but I was moved.  I think it is a lot easier to understand God's true love for us once we become parents ourselves.  I remember thanking Jesus for Kaden everytime I fed him as a new born.  I would literally say, "Thank you Jesus for this baby."  Every single time I fed him in my nursing rocker, countless times per day.  I couldn't believe this miracle, and love and life that God had shown me through my new baby.  I remember watching Kaden while he slept, and just crying because he was so sweet and praying for him to have a good life full of people who loved him, and that he would be a man after God's heart.  I remember thinking that I could teach Kaden everything about Jesus and God, but ultimately I couldn't make that most important decision in this life for him.  I pray that God leads him to that decision when it is time.  I finally can see how much God loves us and desires time with us.  It's so much greater than that love we have for our babies and desire we have to be with them.  In this chapter Chan says, "I am just an earthly, sinful mother and love my child so much it hurts.  How could I not trust a heavenly, perfect Father who loves me infinitely more than I will ever be able to love my kids." 
Most of us are taught to set aside a daily prayer/scripture time and when we fail, we feel guilty.  But, in reality, when we love God, we naturally run to Him, frequently and zealously.  Jesus didn't command that we have a regular time with Him each day.  He tells us to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul amd with all your mind."  He called this the first and greatest commandment.  -Matthew 22:37-38

The results are intimate prayer and study of His word.  Our motivation changes from guilt to LOVE. 
God wants us to come to His word or into His word with Love in our hearts for Him.  Not because we feel guilty if we don't or because we have to spend a set time with God each day. 
Francis Chan talks about a trip he took into the woods for four days, where he had absolutely no contact with another living soul.  He meditated on Jeremiah 1 the entire trip.  Jeremiah 1 verses 4 and 5 speak God's intimate knowledge of me.  "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."  Wait a minute!  God knew me before he MADE me?  God knew you and me BEFORE we existed.  Think about that for a while.  God has been with me from the start, in fact, from well before the start. 

He determined what Jeremiah would do before he was born, is this also true for me? 
Ephesians 2:10 "We are created to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."  That verse is meant for me and all others who have been saved by grace through faith.  My existence was not random, nor was it by accident.  God knew who He was creating, and He designed me for a specific work.  God's next words to Jeremiah, assured me that I need not fear failure:
"Ah, Sovereign Lord," I said, " I do not know how to speak; I am only a child."  But, the Lord said to me, "Do not say, 'I am only a child.'  You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you.  Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you." declares the Lord.  Then the lord reached out and touched his hand to my mouth and said to me, "Now I have put my words in your mouth.  See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant."  Jeremiah 1:6-10

blowing momma a kiss!

When Jeremiah voices hesitation and fear, God reaches out and touches his mouth.  It's a gentle and affectionate gesture, something a loving parent would do.  Through this illistration I realize that I realize that I do not have to worry about not meeting His expectations.  God will ensure my success in accordance with His plans, not mine.  This is the God we serve, the God who knew us before He created us.  The God who promises to remain with us and to rescue us.  The God who loves us and longs for us to love Him back. 

"No one is good, except God alone."   Luke 18:19  So why does He love us, despite us not being good?  Because, if God's mercy didn't exist there would be no hope.  Isaiah 64:6, "All our righteous acts are like filthy rags."  Our good deads can never out weigh our sins .  God's mercy is a free, yet costly, gift.  It cannot be earned.  The wages of sin is death.  But, because of God's mercy, sin is paid for through the death of Jesus Christ, instead of the death of you and me.  Jesus wants us, chooses us, even considers us His inheritance.  (Ephesians 1:18)  The greatest knowledge we can ever have is knowing that God treasures us.  He treasures us and anticipates our departure from this Earth to be with Him.  And, we wonder-indifferently- how much we have to do for Him to get by?
The greatest good on this earth is God.  Period.  God's one goal for us is Himself.  Do you see Him and know Him as Abba?  The Great Father.  Watch the videos again at http://www.crazylovebook.com/  It will remind you who you are and of the crazy, totally undeserved love of God.
What a wonderful relationship I am building with my Maker.  I hope and pray that you all are building that relationship as well.  Have a great week!