The last few weeks have been a struggle for me.

Flesh vs Spirit.

In Christ Alone-Celtic Worship

“No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand
Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand.”

I am unworthy to be in a covenant with a perfect, sinless savior that rescued me.  I do not deserve any of His grace much less deserving of getting to spend eternity with Him.  I do not understand how someone can love me so much to continue to fight for me when I constantly want to run.

He could have easily said, “Enough with you, you ungrateful little jerk…”.  But, He didn’t.  He doesn’t love like I love.  He doesn’t hold our sins against us.  He sees a willing heart  through the doubts and struggles …

This is the face of a girl who for the last week her gracious savior has called  her back home.  He has inspired her to read different passages of scripture (Ecclesiastes and Numbers) she’s never read and opened her eyes to a deeper love than she had before.  She was constantly reminded of His love for her and that she deserved none of it.

Vanity of Vanities… are you really content or did you just give up?

Last week I read and re read and texted friends Isaiah 41:9-13.

This morning I listened to a new sermon that showed up on my podcasts by Charles Stanley about wavering faith and then my dad and I were supposed to go to the grocery store.

When life is nothing like you planned and neither is Plan B…or C…

As he was charging his phone he put on the TV and the exact sermon was on TV (obviously pre-recorded and airing today and shared on podcasts) so I listened again.  What I had missed the first time was that he quoted Isaiah 41:9-13.  As he was reading it I started crying and my dad said, “That’s your scripture”.  I laughed out loud and let the tears flow.  I am unworthy of how much my God loves me and continues to call me back.

“THOU WHOM I HAVE TAKEN FROM THE ENDS OF THE EARTH, AND CALLED THEE FROM THE CHIEF MEN THEREOF, AND SAID UNTO THEE, THOU ART MY SERVANT; I HAVE CHOSEN THEE, AND NOT CAST THEE AWAY. “10 FEAR THOU NOT; FOR I AM WITH THEE: BE NOT DISMAYED; FOR I AM THY GOD: I WILL STRENGTHEN THEE; YEA, I WILL HELP THEE; YEA, I WILL UPHOLD THEE WITH THE RIGHT HAND OF MY RIGHTEOUSNESS.

11 BEHOLD, ALL THEY THAT WERE INCENSED AGAINST THEE SHALL BE ASHAMED AND CONFOUNDED: THEY SHALL BE AS NOTHING; AND THEY THAT STRIVE WITH THEE SHALL PERISH.  12 THOU SHALT SEEK THEM, AND SHALT NOT FIND THEM, EVEN THEM THAT CONTENDED WITH THEE: THEY THAT WAR AGAINST THEE SHALL BE AS NOTHING, AND AS A THING OF NOUGHT.

13 FOR I THE LORD THY GOD WILL HOLD THY RIGHT HAND, SAYING UNTO THEE, FEAR NOT; I WILL HELP THEE.” – ISAIAH 41:9-13

This is the face of a girl who understands that nothing can separate her from the love of God.. the girl who understands this relationship has nothing to do with her, but only by the blood of Jesus is she a new creature redeemed by the power of God can she enter in and last in this covenant.  She is sealed.  She is Christ’s Bride.  He fights for her.  He continually pursues her and endlessly loves her.

She understands by grace is she saved through faith.  It is a gift of God and not of herself lest she should boast.  She realizes what can man do to her for if God is for her who can stand against?  Who or what could possibly come between her and her God?  There is nothing that compares to this love.

This is a girl who knows she is a Child of God and who she is in Christ.

“WHO SHALL SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF CHRIST? SHALL TRIBULATION, OR DISTRESS, OR PERSECUTION, OR FAMINE, OR NAKEDNESS, OR PERIL, OR SWORD?

AS IT IS WRITTEN, FOR THY SAKE WE ARE KILLED ALL THE DAY LONG; WE ARE ACCOUNTED AS SHEEP FOR THE SLAUGHTER.  NAY, IN ALL THESE THINGS WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS THROUGH HIM THAT LOVED US.

FOR I AM PERSUADED, THAT NEITHER DEATH, NOR LIFE, NOR ANGELS, NOR PRINCIPALITIES, NOR POWERS, NOR THINGS PRESENT, NOR THINGS TO COME, NOR HEIGHT, NOR DEPTH, NOR ANY OTHER CREATURE, SHALL BE ABLE TO SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF GOD, WHICH IS IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD.” – ROMANS 8:35-39