My friend's Words

I have a friend Joni, well, I haven't met her yet, but she sure does feel like my friend. She is a sister in Christ, an encourager, a teacher, an artist, an evangelist, and a quadriplegic for the past 50 or so years. To say the least, she is an amazing woman. I receive her daily emails that begin with a scripture, then a small note from Joni. She has a way with words and, if you ever have the chance to hear her speak or read a book of hers, you should!! Anyway, today's email speaks of the volume of love that Christ has for us that is sometimes difficult to articulate, but yet so simple. I wanted to share it with you:

The Love of Christ

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

--Romans 8:38-39





The supreme reason that you can and should trust God through suffering is found at Calvary, for no better argument can be voiced apart from the cross. That He would endure the full fury of hell so you could escape it should tell you something as you face your own hellish circumstances.



The greatest love scene in the world happened when Christ hung and bled on the cross. It was God saying, "Look, see, this is how much I love you!" What's amazing is that He played out this love scene while we snubbed Him in cool, callous indifference. Who would want to escape that kind of love, or ignore or deny it? And what Christian could ever dare doubt it? Christ died for you. What love!



Sometimes after I've snapped at a friend or chipped in my two cents' worth of gossip, I catch myself thinking, "Oh, God, these are the things that nailed Jesus to the cross... I am so sorry." Human logic tells me that He should turn away from me. But nothing, absolutely nothing can separate me from His constant outpouring of love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness.



Often we twist God's arm for the "reasons why" before we decide to trust Him with our circumstances. We want the blueprint spread before us. But the bruised and battered apostle Paul who probably had every reason to wonder "why," never said, "I know why all these things are happening." Rather, he said, "I know in whom I have believed." The love of Christ was enough.



Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.





Bless you all!!