Identity

God: I AM

World: You are crazy

You are narrow

You are loss

You are fearful

You are a coward

God: I am holy

I am love

I am justice

I am righteousness

Me: I am crazy

I am sinful

I am ashamed

God: I am glory

I am truth

I am the way

World: You are bitter

You are a liar

You are boastful

You are hateful

Me: I am selfish

I am rude

I am hateful

Am I forgiven?

God: I am mercy

I am peace

I am joy

You are forgiven

Me: I am useless

God: I am necessary

God: I am light

Me: I can see

World: You are stupid

You are ugly

Me: I am stupid

I am ugly

World: Not good enough

Me: Not good at all

I messed up

I did that

I liked it

God: I know

I am healing

I am forgiving

I am mighty

I am enough

Me: Am I pleasing?

God: You please me

Me: Who are you?

God: I AM

Me: Who am I?

God: Salt, light

You are righteous

Me: I am righteous?

God: You are holy

Me: I am holy?

God: You are my beautiful creation

You are…

Me: Because of You

I am

In Christ

I am…

John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

Only when I come to the end of myself can I find Him.

A Connection

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves Philippians 2:1-3 (NIV)

I don’t know when I began to hear her crying in my head. I only know that it came to me loud and clear. I felt, smelled, and tasted bitter sobs that were not coming from me. I could feel my body shudder as the sadness made her succumb to a child-like rocking as she clutched a used tissue to her chest. There is not enough volume in the human voice to express the sorrow in a human soul. Her throat was hoarse from her crying, but she could not be silent. She felt so utterly alone. When she spoke into the darkness, the loneliness that overcame her made her cry even harder. There was no way to escape her despair.

I reached out to her in prayer. “Lord,” I said. “Please be with the woman who is crying so hard. Let her know that you are with her. Ease her pain and wipe away her tears.”

In her empty room, a peace settled over her. The peace felt like that of a child who is finally in the arms of one who loves her. She began to settle down, her eyes were red, her breathing was labored and she hiccuped now and then with left-over sobs. She settled into her heavenly Father’s arms as she drifted off to sleep – unaware of the spiritual connection that had just transpired between us.

Sleep well, my sister. The Lord’s mercies are new every day.

My Friend

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 1 John 4:10 (NIV)

She sees Him in the distance and begins pacing. “There He is! He’s been waiting for me. I feel so bad that I just kept putting Him off. What was so important? I can't even remember now.”

She stops pacing long enough to look again. Still there. What should she say? “Hey, how’s it going? You been waiting long?” No, that’s dumb. They both know He’s been waiting a while.

“Oh my gosh I am so sorry. I’ve been so busy!” Argh! How lame!

"Wow, I didn't expect to see you here." Seriously?

How about if she crawled in, laid her head in His lap and begged for forgiveness? But, she doesn’t have to beg. She already has it. So, should she walk in and just act like nothing is wrong? Just pick up with their relationship like there was no gap?

“Hey!” She jumped when she heard His voice. “Are you going to pace out here all day, or are you coming in?”

She stood there, mouth open, dumbfounded. “How much longer are you going to make me wait? I miss you!” He kissed her on the cheek.

“Tag, you’re it!” He said as He took off in the direction of that wide open space that is God’s will. Giggling, she ran after Him into the Sunshine.