Photo by Michelle Newell Photography, Lynnwood and Seattle, WA

(Photo by Michelle Newell Photography, Lynnwood and Seattle, WA)

 

In a world where fame is measured in 15-minute increments, life declarations come in 140 characters or less, and you literally have nine seconds to capture somebody’s attention, it’s easy to assume you’re nothing special.

When it feels as though you’re in a rat race and the rats are winning, where your value is measured by your performance or the approval of others and neither is all that remarkable, it’s easy to get lost in the ordinariness of just blending in.

When life sometimes feels like that whac-a-mole game, where those who dare to appear above ground get pounded back to their place, it’s tempting just to hide what light you may have so nobody else will see it.

But those are the times – when life is a liar – those are the times to stand on the truth and receive again the message of grace.  Those are the times to believe again that you are the object of God’s delight.

It takes faith to accept that when God loved the world, He set His love upon you as His unique beloved bride.  Believe it… receive it… you are His delight.

It takes faith to expect that with every expression of gratitude, every request for help, every decision to come away and enjoy His presence, that He is eternally interested in you.  Believe it… receive it… you are His delight.

It takes faith to bring your failure and moral trash to His mercy seat and embrace the fact that all your sin has been nailed to a cross.  Believe it… receive it… you are His delight.

It takes faith to look past your labels and limitations and recognize how breathtakingly beautiful you are to Him, regardless of whether anyone else notices or not.  Believe it… receive it… you are His delight.

It takes faith to hear Him singing over you His song of peace when all else about you is a riot of angry voices, notice-me salesmen, or seducing sirens.  Believe it… receive it… you are His delight.

It takes faith to find your rest in laying your worries and burdens on His shoulders because He can and actually wants to carry them.  Believe it… receive it… you are His delight.

It takes faith to recognize the breath of His Spirit inside you, filling you with abundant life, peace, and joy.  Believe it… receive it… you are His delight.

It takes faith to soar with Him above the exhaustion and confusion, distractions and disappointments, knowing if you were the only human in need, He would still bear you up on wings like eagles.  Believe it… receive it… you are His delight.

It takes faith to find safety in the shadow of His strength, knowing that He takes pleasure in being your Rock, your Fortress, and your Deliverer.  Believe it… receive it… you are His delight.

It takes faith to come to the quiet places and know you never – ever – have to compete for His attention or affection.  Believe it… receive it… you are His delight.

It takes faith to offer Him your brokenness and barrenness and receive His glad offer of restoration, healing, and wholeness.  Believe it… receive it… you are His delight.

So let the world have its desperate grab for those 15 minutes of notice-me or feel-good.  Let the rats keep racing and the moles keep dodging the hammer.  You carry a name that is worth more than rubies.  You are the Delight of your Beloved.

Believe it.

Receive it.

Martha Orlando July 15, 2014 at 5:43 pm

I believe it; I receive it; I am, and so are you, His beloved.
Oh, how this brought tears of joy to my eyes as I read, Andy. If each of us could wake up every morning and meditate upon this thought, how could our day be anything less than blessed? Thank you, my friend, for reminding us all that our God delights in us!
Martha Orlando´s last blog post ..A Time for Every Purpose . . .

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