He Wants You Home

Have you strayed?  Are you running from God?  He loves you. He wants you. He has ordered that the road home be cleared and made ready so that you can run to Him!
He's not mad at you. He loves you!  He just wants you home.  Now. He will heal you!  Trust Him.

“The Lord says, “Let my people return to me. Remove every obstacle from their path! Build the road, and make it ready! “I am the high and holy God, who lives for ever. I live in a high and holy place, but I also live with people who are humble and repentant, so that I can restore their confidence and hope. I gave my people life, and I will not continue to accuse them or be angry with them for ever. I was angry with them because of their sin and greed, and so I punished them and abandoned them. But they were stubborn and kept on going their own way. “I have seen how they acted, but I will heal them. I will lead them and help them, and I will comfort those who mourn. I offer peace to all, both near and far! I will heal my people.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭57:14-19‬ ‭

A Perfect Rose

     I love taking pictures of flowers.  If you looked at my iPad right now you would find that I have well over 10,000 pictures stored there.  A good majority of those pictures are of flowers.  Some of those flowers belong to me.   Some I’ve taken, as I’ve mentioned before, while on walks.  And many were taken while we were in Jamaica last summer.  Flowers I had never seen the likes of except in the silk stem section of Hobby Lobby and I wasn't sure they were even real on that beautiful island until I touched them! 

     Some of those flowers I know the names of and some I don’t even have a clue about!  But I just can't seem to get enough pictures of them. I am in awe of their beauty and uniqueness. 

     Anyway, I also love putting scripture on my flower pictures and sharing them.  Most often I see a verse that makes an impact on me and I want to share it so I search my 10k plus album and find just the right photo.  Other times, like in this case, I take the picture, look at it, and just know what it’s about.  

     This rose is so beautiful. Perfect even. When I got it and it's 11 lovely companions last week, they were all closed. Still beautiful. But closed. Often that's how love is. It's beautiful but hasn't been allowed to really bloom. You love. But you stop right there. No effort. No real work. 

     “So they are no longer two, but one. No human being must separate, then, what God has joined together.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭19:6‬ ‭

     The verse that just seemed to fit this picture.  Jesus said it.  It's about marriage. Your marriage is sacred. It's a covenant ordained by God. Meant to last forever. Meant to bloom into beautiful perfection like this rose. Watered, fed, and cared for, it will last as designed. 

     Sacred. Not to be discussed behind the back of your spouse. Not to be taken lightly. But to be cherished. You are one with your spouse. God joined you together.  Any negative thing you say about your husband or wife, you're also saying about yourself. As the saying goes, instead, 'handle with prayer'. 

     Forgive. Often. Daily. Hourly. Minute by minute and never bring up hurts from the past. Forgive like Jesus. Forgetting what needed forgiveness in the first place. And allowing your spouse to not fit into the mold you created for them.  But encouraging them to grow. 

     Love. Like Jesus. It will transform your life.