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Wednesday, September 28, 2011

My Birthday Praise

Such beauty everywhere as we walked through Venice, on our recent trip to Italy.

It is impossible to fully comprehend all the beauty of God's love - it will take a lifetime and an eternity, and we will never tire of His endless, total, all-encompassing Love. At times I think that I have a handle on it, and then my eyes are opened to more, and I am reminded of how little I know of this Love.

My prayer today (on my birthday), and every day - that I will grow in my awareness of this great Love, this Love that I was made for, this Love that I desire and long for. Other things cloud this desire and longing at times and block our view, but always, we are drawn back to this craving for Love. And it is ours to receive and hold.

How fitting that I would read these words in my Jesus Calling devotional this morning ~

"Open your mind and heart - your entire being - receive My Love in full measure. So many of My children limp through their lives starved for Love, because they haven't learned the art of receiving. This is essentially an act of faith: believing that I love you with boundless, everlasting Love. The art of receiving is also a discipline; training your mind to trust Me, coming close to Me with confidence."

And also these words that fill my mind and heart this morning -

"I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources, 
He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit. 
Then Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him. 
Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong.
 And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, 
how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is. 
May you experience the love of Christ, 
though it is too great to understand fully. 
Then you will be made complete with all the fullness 
of life and power that comes from God." 
(Ephesians 3:16-19)

Loving Lord, thank You for the glimpses that You allow us to see of Your incomprehensible Love. Glimpses that we see through trials that You carry us through, as You show Yourself strong for us in our desperate needs - glimpses that we see through the unexpected surprises that You bring our way, such as our recent trip to Italy - glimpses that we see as Your Spirit opens our eyes and hearts to truth as we read Your Words. You are Love; open our minds and our hearts to receive all that You have for us, and all that You are. 

Unending Love for us, unending surprises and joy as we live our days here on earth, and then as we live with this Love for eternity.

"Now all glory to God, who is able, 
through His mighty power at work within us, 
to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or imagine." 
(Ephesians 3:20)

Linking up at Walk with Him Wednesdays,  Word Filled Wednesday, and Brag on God Friday

4 comments:

  1. My sister posted on FB from Jesus Calling just this morning too. I don't want to limp through life, starved for Love, when Love himself is calling.

    Glad your trip was so fabulous!

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  2. Hi friend! So blessed by His gift to YOU on your birthday...I drank your words up as some of the last I will read before bed...I am a day behind in Jesus Calling, so, thanks for catching me up;}

    I am going to catch up on your Italy posts...sending you so much love and a BIG BIRTHDAY HUG:}:}:}

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  3. Beautiful. I love those verses.
    Happy (late) birthday!
    Hugs!

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  4. Lovely. :) I want a copy of Jesus Calling. Have you heard of God Calling? I read it years ago, and it really changed my walk with God. Then I see Jesus Calling quoted and it seems to be similar so I picked up a copy in the gift store, and sure enough Sarah Young began to hear from Jesus after reading God Calling and applying it. God Calling is my favorite book, so I really hope to get a copy of Jesus Calling at some point. :)

    Thank you for sharing.

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