You know, I think if our hearts are turned toward God, toward righteousness, toward humility, then He smiles at our weakness much more than we realize. I am constantly aware of the ways I fall short, and no doubt He is, too, but I believe when He looks at me He doesn't see that first. Since He looks at the heart, He first sees the direction and intention of my heart, despite the way it plays out in my life.
At church this past weekend, Mike Bickle reminded us that the first and primary commandment is to love God with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength. That's our purpose and highest calling. Not ministry, not work, not marriage, not parenting or anything else. If you wonder about your purpose start there. All else flows out from that place. This is a new way of thinking for me. I've known it but not known it, know what I mean?
The Lord has been teaching me, reminding me, often over the last several months that He is my audience. His opinion is the one that matters most. And His opinion of us is not nearly as negative as ours often is of ourselves. That is a freeing truth, friends.
As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on his faithful followers. For he knows what we are made of; he realizes we are made of clay - Psalm 103:13, 14 NET
Well said.....I can see him smiling, even laughing, when we fall short of perfection......like we would watching our young children do something silly while trying to do something perfectly, though maybe not to their face. :) But He sees us completed in His image, when we do love Him with all our hearts. Mom
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