Yesterday, I wrote about my time in Camp Vick. I had taken, along with my Bible, a small book titled God’s Blessing for You. This was sent to me by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, and is a collection of excerpts from some of his books, with some from Max Lucado as well.
Several of these excerpts really struck me and gave me cause to reflect. I hope to share some of the them with you over the next several days, and I hope you will have an opportunity to reflect on them as well.
This one is from Billy Graham’s book, Hope for the Troubled Heart:
“God’s love is unchangeable; He knows exactly what we are and loves us anyway. In fact, he created us because he wanted other creatures in His image upon whom He could pour out His love and who would love Him in return. He also wanted that love to be voluntary, not forced, so He gave us freedom of choice, the ability to say yes or no in our relationship to Him. God does not want mechanized love, the kind that says we must love God because it’s what our parents demand or our church preaches. Only voluntary love satisfies the Heart of God.”
Take a few minutes to reflect on this. Particularly, the thought that God made us in His image because “He wanted other creatures in His image upon whom He could pour out His love, and who would love Him in return.” What does it mean to be created in the image of God? Can that give you peace knowing that you are the image of God?
Also, the idea that you have the ability to choose to love Him or not. Have you made that choice? What are the consequences of that choice in your life now? What about the future, how will that choice affect the future? What about eternity?
Take a few minutes to answer these. They are important questions. And realizing the answers to them may give you peace in knowing God.
Several of these excerpts really struck me and gave me cause to reflect. I hope to share some of the them with you over the next several days, and I hope you will have an opportunity to reflect on them as well.
This one is from Billy Graham’s book, Hope for the Troubled Heart:
“God’s love is unchangeable; He knows exactly what we are and loves us anyway. In fact, he created us because he wanted other creatures in His image upon whom He could pour out His love and who would love Him in return. He also wanted that love to be voluntary, not forced, so He gave us freedom of choice, the ability to say yes or no in our relationship to Him. God does not want mechanized love, the kind that says we must love God because it’s what our parents demand or our church preaches. Only voluntary love satisfies the Heart of God.”
Take a few minutes to reflect on this. Particularly, the thought that God made us in His image because “He wanted other creatures in His image upon whom He could pour out His love, and who would love Him in return.” What does it mean to be created in the image of God? Can that give you peace knowing that you are the image of God?
Also, the idea that you have the ability to choose to love Him or not. Have you made that choice? What are the consequences of that choice in your life now? What about the future, how will that choice affect the future? What about eternity?
Take a few minutes to answer these. They are important questions. And realizing the answers to them may give you peace in knowing God.
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