I should have been a pair of ragged claws...: His Love Not My Own

Do you focus on your love for Him? Or his love for you?
Do you think about the theology and implications behind the words you sing on Sunday?

This is an awesome amazing, all powerful, breathing stars into life sort of God we are dealing with. Thunder is a whimper in comparison to his strength and power. Our wisdom is as nothing in comparison to His. He left a large splotch on Jupiter, an endless hurricane (technically an anti-cyclone) that is the size of 3 of our planets to continually remind us that we are but a pipsqueak to the magnitude of His infinite power. Yet we sing to Him, our love, more carelessly than we would say words to our own parents. Let us think about our words.

And... do we ever just stop and wonder... how brilliant, splendid, and exquisite it is?

Lets not focus as much on our love, because in comparison, its really not comparable to His.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUIvgsZbhjE

Not only is the Great Red Spot intriguing, it is part of an entire planet made up of a maelstrom of seething anti-cyclones, storms, lightning bolts thicker than skyscrapers, and mysteries. The planet almost looks like a floating intergalactic mixing sand jar. If the energy from massive storms on earth can cause peach ring shaped halos of plasma in our atmosphere (kind of like larger scale forms of this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8AIUiFRQzw), then imagine the great mystique of what may be formed in planets like Jupiter.

The plasma circles I am speaking of are called elves, sprites, and tendrils.

What they look like in real life...

No wonder people sometimes think they see UFOs. Scientists... iz you sure this is not aliens?

Watch it hang there as though it were simmering with a distant hum; as though it were a drifting gigantic plasma jellyfish, looming through the seas of space. And all that was glowing was the parts of attraction, the poisonous electrical storms tendrils.

Think, if we can visibly see these auroras on planets, then what could be happening that is not visible billions of kilometers away?

Yes, he is surely mighty, and contains gargantuan wonders, even within a fallen universe.

Yet, having said all of this, I do not want to take away a sliver from the importance of recognizing that we do indeed love him. That he ravishes our hearts. I was amazed once realizing while praying with a couple that I had often prayed with; that they always ended their prayers by saying, "we love you God." Or, a personal, "I love you." It nearly made me want to cry, to just stop and think that I was allowed to say to the God of the universe... I love you. And he would listen, and love me back.

Where do we boast? even in sports, do you just trash talk, do you consider it playful (and is the opponent aware that you are doing so lovingly or playfully?) or could you be hurting others? In anything; how much do you boast over others? Do you boast with sneakingly showcasing your talents (its not wrong to share pieces of who you are but) do you purposely break out a guitar or sing around people in order to make a stance, to gather attention, to prove something, when you don't like how things are going, or when others might not want you to. What do we have that wasn't given to us and what do we have to boast of? Nothing. We are only weak men and women in need of a great and awesome God. Do you pray and let God help you and then when the prayer is answered take the credit for what happened? Do you boast in the fact that you don't compliment others in the areas of your strength? Are you able to share in their joy, especially those of the body of Christ whose glory is shared with us because it comes from the same God and we are one body? I know it has been hard for me and I have had to consciously strive to see with a truthful lens to help me get passed my jealous sin to not applaud brothers and sisters. Do you boast through your complaints? Do you complain by saying all that you have done which is also subtly a plea for understanding and love and for someone to care but also can be for attention and prideful expression that doesn't recognize that we do not deserve better. Do you boast through pictures that you put up on the internet? Its not bad to put pictures that are cool but you know that you could be putting something in somebody's face or trying to drag attention for the wrong reasons. Let us trust God and ask Him to help others know and understand us. To be loved doesn't mean to be the center of attention. Isn't God big enough to have someone deeply care for us without even knowing that aspect of you immediately. Do we ever leave out a graded paper that is highly graded on the counter top to purposely reveal through planning how we did? We all have been there where we set up a situation to put ourselves in good light. Can God have someone understand you and how great you are without putting yourself in great lighting? Can God have someone get you without you even telling them? I its not bad to tell people about ourselves rather isn't it amazing that He is so powerful that He CAN take care of these desires to be known powerfully? Do you boast in stories you tell perhaps in what light you shine your life or workplace. I am not saying only let people know about bad things and put yourself in a poor light. But are we being honest, are we leaving out the fact that we are wretches in need of grace and boasting in weakness in God's greatness and power? And if a brother or sister has a gift, why can't we celebrate with them? Our jealousy is only pride, because we are interconnected with our brothers and sisters like a body whose eyes cannot say that they do not need their hands. We are all valuable and make a spiritual body, we together, are like a wife to the husband of Jesus. And so our successes should be celebrated as though they were our own, and we should mourn, likewise, as though it were our pain. The most unloved, unwanted person among us, should be our priority. Just as you would want to be.

Friend do you just want to share how you are feeling, or do you ask others and fight to be present while they are speaking?

We cannot love without the Spirit of God, let us lean on Him instead of strive with human flesh.