Saying I LOVE YOU to the One who loved me first...

I really struggle with church sometimes, and of late: a mammoth struggle. Quite frankly, it's not meeting my expectations. I want deep, challenging sermons that make me struggle, make me think, and question, and wrestle with the great truth that God has for us. I want to be around and involved with people who are passionate about God's word and who are lead by a pastor passionate about God's word. I want to be in a body that thinks/acts like the early church I read about in the New Testament. Yikes...such high expectations and how can they really ever be met? (confession: this is generally true in every aspect of my life...!)

So...this morning I was trying to figure out whether I would attend church or stay at home. I went back and forth on this one for quite some time. Then...I thought about how I show God I honor Him, how I show Him love, how I give something to Him and quit trying to make it all about me. That's when I decided to go to worship, because it really is about Him, and not about me. So when we sang, I sang to Him, and when we prayed, I prayed to Him, and when the lesson was taught, I thought about Him. I wanted God to know I love Him, and one way to show Him that was being in His House, focusing entirely on Him. And no, the sermon wasn't enthralling, or especially thought-provoking, but it didn't have to be, because it wasn't the point today.

Today, even in such a little thing really, I wanted to love on Jesus. I know He knew that, but I'm embarrassed to say it took a lot of struggle to get to that point. Here's another set of lyrics that are so full of meaning to me (Point of Grace is really pointing me towards His Grace right now!)... I hope they are to you too. So here' s my challenge: how do you show God that you love Him? How will I do that tonite, tomorrow, and the next day? Will it be by loving someone He puts in my path that I don't particularly enjoy being around, will it be refraining from gossip, or will it be picking His interests over mine in regards to church and the community of believers? I don't know for sure how I will show my honor and my love, but I do know I want to!

You are Good

When the Sun starts to rise and I open my eyes
You are good, so good
In the heat of the day, with each stone that I lay
You are good, so good

With every breath I take in
I’ll tell you I’m grateful again
When the moon rises high

before each kiss good night
You are good

When the road starts to turn

around each bend I’ve learned
You are good, so good
And when somebody’s hand holds me up, helps me stand
You are so good

With every breath I take in
I’ll tell you I’m grateful again
Cause it’s more than enough just to know I am loved and
You are good

So how can I thank you?
What can I bring?
What can a poor man lay at the feet of a King
So I’ll sing you a love song
It’s all that I have
To tell you I’m grateful
For holding’ my life in your hands

When its dark and its cold and I can’t feel my soul
You are still good
When the world has gone gray and the rain’s here to stay
You are still good

With every breath I take in
I’ll tell you I’m grateful again
And the storm may swell, even then it is well
Even then you are good

So how can I thank you?
What can I bring?
What can a poor man lay at the feet of a King
So I’ll sing you a love song
It’s all that I have
To tell you I’m grateful
For holding’ my life in your hands