Favorites
Rom 5:8
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
KJV
1. I think that maybe if you are like me you have been carrying around an invisible measuring stick with you where ever you go. We use it to judge how others react to us. Maybe we use it in reacting to others and most startling is how we use it to see how we THINK God looks at us.
2. Our invisible measuring stick works something like this. At the bottom of course would be the worse way we look at ourselves or the worse way we ‘ SEE’ others looking at us. I think we learn it at an early age. Little babies learn real quickly what expressions or actions put a smile on Mommy and Daddy’s faces. On the other hand we learn real quick what puts a frown on those same faces. And as we grow we take this perspective with us when we play with our little friends, when we start school, become teens, enter the work place, get married, etc. Maybe biggest of all is when we find Jesus and ask Him into our lives.
3. We start at an early age using our measuring sticks because deep down all of us want to please others. Why? We all want to be loved and accepted. We probably all have had experiences where there are some people we just enjoy being around because they seem to love and accept us no matter what. We feel we can be ourselves around them. Then there are those we tend to always find ourselves ‘ walking on egg shells ‘ around because no matter what or how hard we try sooner or later we know we will hear a few words of disapproval or that look that says ‘ you have let me down again’. In this case we have to be careful we don’t become hardhearted. At the time it feels better to think we don’t care so we don’t get hurt but down deep we know it hurts. What we have to realize is the problem is in the other person’s measuring stick not ours but we tend to let it effect us and we waver on where we fit on the measuring stick we use for ourselves. All in all the whole thing can be very exhausting.!!!! Then one day here came God with this wonderful scripture with a wonderful message. I had read it many times but never did it hit my heart like it did this time. Now I have more joy in my heart then I ever did before.
4. I remember the minute God put this into my heart. It felt so good to throw away my invisible measuring stick once and for all. Especially when it came to God. Do you find yourself using your invisible measuring stick with God? Gee, have I read my Bible enough today? Have I prayed enough? Have I been to church each and every time the doors have opened? Am I doing enough to please God? Where do I stand on God’s measuring stick? Guess what? God does not see you that way. Just think about it. Rom 5:8
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
While we were yet sinners-would put us pretty much at the bottom of a measuring stick- if not under it - from our point of view. But not from our wonderful loving God. He loved us so much while in the worse state we could be – separated from Him – Jesus came and DIED for us. Please let that sink in a minute. You are loved as much as possible BEFORE you do anything. Before you try to MEASURE UP with some invisible measuring stick. Please throw it away. God’s love for you is so strong you cannot make Him ‘unlove’ you. If we were so loved before we ever tried to DO anything for God that Jesus would die for us what makes us think we can DO anything to make God LOVE us MORE. Do you see it??? Do you feel God’s awesome love for you? The love you can’t measure up to, can’t earn, you can’t do anything to attain. All the doing is done. It was all done by Jesus. Done because of love. The greatest love. There is no greater love that He could love you with. You’re at the top of God’s measuring stick before you even begin. So relax and let God’s love, love you. I have found when I try that all other relationships fall into place. And those that I still struggle with I gave to Him. He is the fixer of relationships and broken hearts. It’s much more fun to have joy in your heart then some invisible measuring stick. Go ahead and try it. What do you have to lose? Not God’s love.
