What does love look like?

This question is something I can't answer. There is nothing here on earth that compares to the Love Christ has shed upon my life. I  have searched and searched. I tried everything; romance left me vulnerable and an emotional wreck, monetary bliss left me empty, fiscal happiness left me broke (Hebrews 13:5).

This kind of love sustains life. This love is constant (Jeremiah 31:3), never failing (Romans 8:31), never fading, and most certainly never ending (John 3:16). This kind of love disciplines. It breaks down pride to develop desire. This kind of love never has selfish motives. Isaiah 49:16, We are inscribed on the palms of His hands.

This kind of love has filled and overflowed my cup. I look back on my life and realize how lost and broken I was without this love (Revelation 21:4). This love exist because of Jesus. The sacrifice (2 Corinthians 5:21), death, and resurrection enabled this kind of love to even exist (Romans 5:8). This love  looks at me with arms wide open, knowing that I will fail. This kind of love is vulnerable, knowing that it will be rejected. This kind of love desires our attention, our love, and our affection.

In times of worship this love reveals truth to our hearts. This kind of love is unnatural to man, and cannot be described by the human language, because it is a feeling. A feeling only experienced in a relationship with a living God! So thankful and blessed to experience this love. This love promises over and over again to never leave us (Isaiah 41:10).

Studying the word tonight and this song touched my heart :) Over and Over again this love is revealed and presented to those who love Him and surrender their life to Him. There is nothing to lose, except your baggage, pain, guilt, sorrow, sadness, and hatred. This kind of love fills you will joy, identity, reliance, love, security, and most importantly hope in such a broken and dark world. This love desired me, even when I rejected it. It  fought for me, when I fought against it. This love is so powerful it took all my broken pieces and glued them back together. This looks and me the way It looks at His son, Jesus. This love continues to set me apart and renew my heart.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2ZCIp0HiRo

Just Shut Up

These past few weeks have been really tough for me. I had broken a rule at VMI and rather than submit and accept my punishment I reluctantly complained about how stupid or unfair I thought it was. What I failed to recognize was what God was trying to teach me through this.  God is not a harsh or mean God, He is a God that disciplines His children in ways that they can grow closer to Him and glorify Him with their actions.God just wanted me to shut up because my flesh was not bringing glory to Him but that of myself. I know this may sound crazy but God wanted to discipline my tongue in a way in which would bring glory to Him. 

Hebrews 12:5-7 says... "And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said,'My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline,    

and don’t give up when he corrects you.

For the Lord disciplines those he loves,    

and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.' 

As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father?"

Like a father, He was trying to discipline my behavior because He loves me and I represent Him. As I reflect today I recognize that I failed to ask Him to help me during this time, in which I relied on my flesh to provide for me. Rather than turn to Him in prayer. 

I encourage you this week to really seek Him out in your daily prayer life. Ask Him to show you what in your life is detracting from His glory:
In other words what actions or behaviors you partake in are ruining not only your reputation but more importantly His?

For me it was my mouth.  The greatest tragedy in this whole situation was that I failed to turn to Him and ultimately misrepresented who He is in my life. His love for me showed me that there is nothing I could do but recognize the freedom I have because of Him.