unfamiliar

Topic: Love

Focus: The everlasting love of God

1 John 3:1 (NIV)  See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.

In this life, we will all have our moments of feeling like we ‘don’t belong’. I doubt whether any person on the planet hasn’t experienced feeling like an ‘alien’ at one point in time, or another. So many things can affect our relationships with people and their acceptance of us. Most people like to be around others who make us feel comfortable and respected.

Yet, sometimes we’re thrust into making changes we didn’t choose or anticipate. Those changes may put us in a position of being in unfamiliar territory that we’re not sure of. Suddenly, we’re out of touch with the people who once made us feel secure and important. Now, we’re faced with having to build new relationships from scratch—possibly at a time when we least feel like being social.

Now, you can listen and/or read!

I love the way scripture often refers to us as ‘children of God’. It indicates to me that our Father in heaven sees us as small, vulnerable beings who really need His help to survive—and that’s what we are. He created us to need Him—and we do.

Some people have convinced themselves they have no need of God. It practically goes without saying that people who have no use for God, have no use for His followers…but what a sorry situation they will face one day—and what a loss for them in this life, too. Those people have no idea what they’re missing. Whether they realize it or not, they are more lost than they know.

If you are one of the children of God—you belong to Him and His big family. You are important to God and He knows you by name. He cares about every single thing that happens to you because He is your everlasting, loving parent. He has a bond with you that nothing can ever change.

Some people were fortunate enough to be born as one of His chosen people. But through the great gift of Christ the Messiah, God made a way for any of us to be ‘adopted’ and grafted into His family. What a gift!

The Prophet Isaiah foretold the coming of Christ and what a change it would mean for those of us who were previously ‘in deep darkness’:

“Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past He humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future He will honor Galilee of the nations (where Jesus was born), by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy (the grafting of the Gentiles through Christ); they rejoice before You as people rejoice at the harvest, as warriors rejoice when dividing the plunder. For as in the day of Median’s defeat, You have shattered the yoke that burdens them (sin and bondage), the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor. Every warrior’s boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire. For to us a Child is born (Messiah), to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over His kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this (Isaiah 9:1-7 NIV).”

Going through changes in your life and feeling like an alien can be depressing and make you feel lost. Being in a period of depression is like being in deep darkness, too.

The thing to keep your focus on is God and His great love for you. If you are one of His children—then, you aren’t an alien! Even if you don’t feel accepted by people on earth and don’t have a big circle of friends you can see—you are surrounded by a Spiritual family that is huge! You have the promise of eternity in heaven with Christ.

So, hold your head high! You have confessed Christ as your Savior and those who have not rejected God’s Son, will not be rejected by His Father. You are chosen and highly favored of God.

Declaration: I will find new strength by embracing the changes in my life that I didn’t plan. I will get to know God better because of my new circumstances. I will focus on Jesus, the great gift of God’s love—and will pray for the salvation of those who don’t know Him.

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Focus: The everlasting love of God

1 John 3:1 (NIV)  See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.

In this life, we will all have our moments of feeling like we ‘don’t belong’. I doubt whether any person on the planet hasn’t experienced feeling like an ‘alien’ at one point in time, or another. So many things can affect our relationships with people and their acceptance of us. Most people like to be around others who make us feel comfortable and respected.

Yet, sometimes we’re thrust into making changes we didn’t choose or anticipate. Those changes may put us in a position of being in unfamiliar territory that we’re not sure of. Suddenly, we’re out of touch with the people who once made us feel secure and important. Now, we’re faced with having to build new relationships from scratch—possibly at a time when we least feel like being social.

Now, you can listen and/or read!

I love the way scripture often refers to us as ‘children of God’. It indicates to me that our Father in heaven sees us as small, vulnerable beings who really need His help to survive—and that’s what we are. He created us to need Him—and we do.

Some people have convinced themselves they have no need of God. It practically goes without saying that people who have no use for God, have no use for His followers…but what a sorry situation they will face one day—and what a loss for them in this life, too. Those people have no idea what they’re missing. Whether they realize it or not, they are more lost than they know.

If you are one of the children of God—you belong to Him and His big family. You are important to God and He knows you by name. He cares about every single thing that happens to you because He is your everlasting, loving parent. He has a bond with you that nothing can ever change.

Some people were fortunate enough to be born as one of His chosen people. But through the great gift of Christ the Messiah, God made a way for any of us to be ‘adopted’ and grafted into His family. What a gift!

The Prophet Isaiah foretold the coming of Christ and what a change it would mean for those of us who were previously ‘in deep darkness’:

“Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past He humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future He will honor Galilee of the nations (where Jesus was born), by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy (the grafting of the Gentiles through Christ); they rejoice before You as people rejoice at the harvest, as warriors rejoice when dividing the plunder. For as in the day of Median’s defeat, You have shattered the yoke that burdens them (sin and bondage), the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor. Every warrior’s boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire. For to us a Child is born (Messiah), to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over His kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this (Isaiah 9:1-7 NIV).”

Going through changes in your life and feeling like an alien can be depressing and make you feel lost. Being in a period of depression is like being in deep darkness, too.

The thing to keep your focus on is God and His great love for you. If you are one of His children—then, you aren’t an alien! Even if you don’t feel accepted by people on earth and don’t have a big circle of friends you can see—you are surrounded by a Spiritual family that is huge! You have the promise of eternity in heaven with Christ.

So, hold your head high! You have confessed Christ as your Savior and those who have not rejected God’s Son, will not be rejected by His Father. You are chosen and highly favored of God.

Declaration: I will find new strength by embracing the changes in my life that I didn’t plan. I will get to know God better because of my new circumstances. I will focus on Jesus, the great gift of God’s love—and will pray for the salvation of those who don’t know Him.