*Greetings in the name of our Awesome
and prayer-answering God!
Mark 11:22 “Embrace this God-life. Really embrace it, and nothing
will be too much for you...”
I love telling people about when Jorge first met Rachel’s husband.
It was a little awkward to do more than shake hands. But guess what?
Jorge wanted Emilio to know he was fond of him, that he fully expected him to
become another son. The greetings steadily progressed from a handshake to
a handshake and a hug, and now – watch out! – it’s a love fest. It’s a
handshake, and a hug, and I-kiss-him-and-he-kisses-me-
Truth is, we the Cuban people are known for our affectionate greetings,
but occasionally I encounter those who take a short cut. Rather than
make lip-to-cheek contact, they will smash their face into mine and not follow
through with the actual smooch. It feels so incomplete, and more than
once I have called the offender out and made them re-do the salutation.
I want to be wholeheartedly welcomed and loved, and so does God.
That’s what embracing the God-life is all about: Making an all-out
effort! When we really embrace Him we show it. We spend time with
Him, even when there’s no immediate crisis, and we tell Him we love Him and
need Him.
Think about how you would feel if those who say they love you never
called, never visited, or worse, never gave you a complete and thorough
full-contact kiss? It wouldn’t take you long to start questioning the
degree of their devotion.
Let’s not forget the advantages of embracing God either. We will
always get so much more in return than what we give. For one, we will be
confident in our faith and live lives of peace and joy.
PRAYER: Dear Lord, Help us move past any reservations we have about fully
embracing You. You are worth getting to know, and we love You. In
Jesus’ name, AMEN~
*This DEVO originally published Nov. 6, 2014
No comments:
Post a Comment