I started that 30-day Devotion,
Completely Loved: Recognizing God's Passionate Pursuit of Us, yesterday. God has already showed me how valuable I am to Him. It's incredible. I can't believe I haven't started this earlier.
Day 1 starts off with the creation story--what better way to start?? The title to day 1 is "Completely Loved by...Our Creator". I love that. Because who loves us more than Who created us? We think our parents have the ultimate love for us, but we are oh so wrong. God's love for us is immeasurable and honestly, I'm embarrassed to admit that I'm just now figuring that out. I don't need anyone other that Him. He knows what we need and who we are. Here's an excerpt from day 1:
"We find passion and joy in walking with the One who designed every part of us.
He designed our minds, so He knows how to put us at ease.
He created our bodies, so He knows how to strengthen us.
He formed our hearts, so He knows how to thrill and delight us.
He molded our spirits, so He knows our innermost desires; and only He can satisfy those desires."
And every day ends with a prayer (who would've thought??). And wouldn't you know that the one thing I've really been insecure about my entire life, Shannon addresses in the very first devotion. Blows my mind. After I read it yesterday, I just looked up and said, "Ok, Lord, I get it." The prayer reads like this:
"Creator God,
Help me recognize Your beauty and wonder evident
throughout all of creation---from the tiniest DNA molecule
to the galaxies far beyond our awareness. But most of all, help
me to recognize Your beauty and wonder when I look at myself."
You see, in my entire life, I've never thought of myself as beautiful. Never.
THIS explains it all.
Day 2 is entitled "Completely Loved by...Our Witness". Today starts out talking about Hagar and how she felt unnoticed by God. She has a son by Abraham, Sarai's husband. She gets treated so harshly by her. She even runs away pregnant with Ishmael, her son, and she sees an angel. The angel tells her to go back and take whatever Sarai can dish out.
"And the angel also said, 'You are now pregnant
and will give birth to a son. You are to name him Ismael (which means 'God hears'),
for the LORD has heard your cry of distress. This son of yours will
be a wild man, as untamed as a wild donkey! He will raise his fist
against everyone, and everyone will be against him. Yes he will live
in open hostility against all his relatives.'"
Shannon points out in here that Hagar didn't put up a fight against this angel. I am amazed at that. I would definitely protest and ask the angel to, instead give me a son who is not a "wild man". But Shannon is right when she says this:
"Her response indicates that she was at peace with her situation,
regardless of how difficult it must have been. Why?
Because she looked past her situation to recognize that
GOD ACTUALLY SAW HER.
Her Maker knew her plight and was a witness to her life.
That seemed to satisfy her; it was enough for her to simply know
beyond a shadow of a doubt that God saw her
and her circumstances."
I love the next verse--verse 13. I feel like this is Hagar's "AH-HA" moment.
"Thereafter, Hagar used another name to refer to the LORD,
who had spoken to her. She said,
'You are the God who sees me.' She also said,
'Have I truly seen the One who sees me?'"
I love love love how Shannon Ethridge brings forth a new idea. I am truly thankful for this book series. I can't wait to dive into the rest of the books!! She ends today with another prayer:
"Dear God, I may not understand why it feels so
important to be noticed at times, but I thank You that nothing in
my life goes unnoticed by You. Even though you witness my
finest and worst moments, You never stop cheering me on,
and for that I am eternally grateful."
Have a wonderful weekend!
-katie
