Monday, January 22, 2007
Chapter 7 & ACF retreat
I finished reading "Captivating" for the 2nd time about a week ago, and reread Chp 7 over and over again. Every time I read it, God says something different to me.
You know how we say God is always waiting for us, arms wide open for us to jump into? Well....it's occured to me that it is not true. He isnt just passively sitting there whispering softly to tell us to come to Him. He is actively pursuing us, chasing after us, digging deep into our hearts. When we want to get someone's attention, we do things to try to captivate their hearts. God does the same thing. He calls out to us, and even gives us tangible gifts that quicken our hearts, for He knows the beauty that will captivate us.
"God's version of flowers and chocolates and candlelight dinners comes in the form of sunsets and falling stars, moonlight on lakes and cricket symphonies; warm wind, swaying trees, lush gardens, and fierce devotion."
- Captivating
Wait....God wants us? God wants me? Why? What could be so fabulous about me that would prompt the Lord of all creation to pursue MY heart? Nothing really, except...He created us out of love...and He just wants us to love Him back.
You know how we say God is always waiting for us, arms wide open for us to jump into? Well....it's occured to me that it is not true. He isnt just passively sitting there whispering softly to tell us to come to Him. He is actively pursuing us, chasing after us, digging deep into our hearts. When we want to get someone's attention, we do things to try to captivate their hearts. God does the same thing. He calls out to us, and even gives us tangible gifts that quicken our hearts, for He knows the beauty that will captivate us.
"God's version of flowers and chocolates and candlelight dinners comes in the form of sunsets and falling stars, moonlight on lakes and cricket symphonies; warm wind, swaying trees, lush gardens, and fierce devotion."
- Captivating
Wait....God wants us? God wants me? Why? What could be so fabulous about me that would prompt the Lord of all creation to pursue MY heart? Nothing really, except...He created us out of love...and He just wants us to love Him back.
"He wants the same thing that you want. He wants to be loved. He wants intimacy with you."
- Captivating
Therefore I will block her path with thornbushes;
I will wlal her in so that she cannot find her way.
She will chase after her lovers but not catch them;
she will look for them but not find them.
- Hosea 2:6-7
- Captivating
Heres something else....
Therefore I will block her path with thornbushes;
I will wlal her in so that she cannot find her way.
She will chase after her lovers but not catch them;
she will look for them but not find them.
- Hosea 2:6-7
God often takes aside all source of comfort so that He can have our heart's attention....blocking our way from everything else so that we turn to Him.
See? He does so many things to draw us close to Him. Why don't we see how fiercely devoted He is to have intimacy with us? Sometimes, we're so blinded by earthly things that we can't hear Him calling out to us, and we can't feel His hands reaching out for us. Just sit down and relax...even in a literal sense....like...at ACF retreat, I did a little star-gazing one night. It was so beautiful. It was definitely a gift from God to me....something to remind me that He loves me...He created all these things for me. Wow...for me? ALL of this for me? You want me so much that You made this beauty just to capture me? What an incredible gift ^_^...thanks!
See? He does so many things to draw us close to Him. Why don't we see how fiercely devoted He is to have intimacy with us? Sometimes, we're so blinded by earthly things that we can't hear Him calling out to us, and we can't feel His hands reaching out for us. Just sit down and relax...even in a literal sense....like...at ACF retreat, I did a little star-gazing one night. It was so beautiful. It was definitely a gift from God to me....something to remind me that He loves me...He created all these things for me. Wow...for me? ALL of this for me? You want me so much that You made this beauty just to capture me? What an incredible gift ^_^...thanks!
"I am meant to fill a place int he heart of God no one and nothing else can fill. He longs for me. Just as I long for Him."
- Captivating
Our Heavenly Father loves us...loves me. Like shepherd to sheep, master to servant, Father to daughter, groom to bride.
I have loved you with an everlasting love.
- Jeremiah 31:3
- Captivating
Our Heavenly Father loves us...loves me. Like shepherd to sheep, master to servant, Father to daughter, groom to bride.
- Jeremiah 31:3
=== ACF Retreat ===
So I got back from retreat feeling mentally fatigue. Not a good feeling. Strangely, I felt kind of out of touch with everything during retreat. The messages from Pastor Phil were great, the small group time was great, the fellowship was great, the worship was great. But something, somehow, put me off a little. Maybe its just too much at once, not having enough time to absorb everything. Or maybe it was something else....I dunno.
Something that caught my attention was BALANCE. I need balance between conservative & charismatic. Balance between feeling what I am really feeling and what I think I am suppose to feel. Knowing all that, I just spent the past 1.5 hrs praying...so now, I'm gonna let God do His thing.
So I got back from retreat feeling mentally fatigue. Not a good feeling. Strangely, I felt kind of out of touch with everything during retreat. The messages from Pastor Phil were great, the small group time was great, the fellowship was great, the worship was great. But something, somehow, put me off a little. Maybe its just too much at once, not having enough time to absorb everything. Or maybe it was something else....I dunno.
Something that caught my attention was BALANCE. I need balance between conservative & charismatic. Balance between feeling what I am really feeling and what I think I am suppose to feel. Knowing all that, I just spent the past 1.5 hrs praying...so now, I'm gonna let God do His thing.
5:24 PM
speak...it's your turn: 2 comments
speak...it's your turn: 2 comments