Sunshine Prayers...

It is mid-April and still a bit cool, but the sun shines with such a golden brilliance here. I sat on my friends' deck this morning, soaking it up and laying my heart bare before my God. So much on it. As usual.

He listened, patiently, and whispered assurances, and then pointed me to spend some time in first, second, and third John this morning.

I was just floored by the familiar words; by the inexpressible shock of this Almighty, Merciful, Righteous, Cosmic, Compassionate, Redeemer God inviting me, inviting you, to know His limitless love. And this verse especially hit me:

"No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and His love has been brought to full expression through us." -- 1 John 4:12

Do you realize the omnipotent God of the universe, the Creator of all things, and the very source of Love and all things Good, wants to express Himself through US?? Why He deigns to give His grace to such broken jars of clay, I will never understand. I will just soak it up as He pours it down, until I am overflowing with it, and He, who has never been seen, can be seen in me through my love of others (!!! what? !!!). We don't love because someone is worthy of it (otherwise He would never give any of us the time of day) but because "He first loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins" (1 Jn 4:10). And, "since God loved us so much, we surely ought to love each other" (1 Jn 4:11).

I see His love in my life and I desire so much to shine it all around me, to "express it fully." This will be the journey of my life, learning how better to love. And when I grow weary and start to think of how wonderful it would be to just live for myself, I will sit in the sunshine, feel the kiss of it against my skin, and remember Him.

And live to die to myself another day.

He is so infinitely worth it.
May you taste and see...

Love on, love on, love on,
Leah