Journal Entry ~ 03/10/19

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,
5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ-by grace you have been saved- - Ephesians 2:4-5

Dealing with the heart wrenching trial of loving prodigals, these verses minister to me. For those of you who have a loved one who seems far from Christ, I pray you can see the same Hope in these verses that I find. 

The enemy can lie to us when we love a prodigal - especially to a mother's heart. When we have a prodigal child, we can begin to think they are too far away, or that God won't answer prayers for them because they stand in opposition to God, or that He is leaving them in their sin and going to let His full wrath unleash on them. What if He doesn't reach out to my sons?  What if He lets them go because they aren't responding?  

The lies of the enemy fill our hearts with fear and send us spiraling into despair as they keep us from believing in who God tells us He really is. He reminds us who He is in this verse - God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ. Even when we were far from Christ ourselves, when we were dead in our trespasses, He still loved us with such a great love, He wanted to make us alive together in Christ. This isn't for some, this is for all. 

So, even though my sons are spiritually dead in their trespasses and seem far from Christ, He still loves them with a great love and wants to make them alive with Christ. He pursued me when I was far from Him because He loved me. I didn't give Him any reason to believe I was interested in surrendering my life. In fact, the opposite was true - I often mocked Him. Yet, He continued to pursue me. I was dead as dead could be, but He wouldn't let up. It was a battle that existed only in my heart and my head, and no one in my life at the time knew about it, but He knew my heart, and continued to orchestrate the events of my life until I surrendered.  

I'm confident the battle is happening in my sons in the same way, and I know who will win eventually.... because I know He loves them even when they are dead in their trespasses with a great love. This I know. The only unknown is when He will win the battle, and so I continue to wait on His timing. 


Press on ~ you are loved 💗

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