Wounder/ Wounded

At some point in our lives, we can all relate to the lyrics of a song Paul Colman (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dgrigf-Ca48 ) released a few years back.

Here I am
In a river of questions
Can I pour my heart out to a listening ear?
I see this life
Its valley's and mountains
And I think of all the roads that brought me here

I've questioned my reasons
The life I'm living
I've questioned my ability
To judge wrong from right
I've questioned all the things that I've ever called certain
My race, my religion, my country, my mind.

But the one thing I don't question is You
You really love me like You say you do
You really love me like You say you do

We all have these questions, don’t we?  The questions become overwhelming to the point of obsession or “paralization” to those who are in the bondage of addiction. 

Men and women in the bondage of addiction who have lied, manipulated and used others to satisfy their addiction; men and women who have suffered verbal and physical abuse or been betrayed by someone they trusted – individuals covered with the “cow manure of life” and are now convinced they are unlovable.  They are certain that neither God nor another individual could love them! 

The good news is that no matter what you have been told; no matter what has been done to you, or no matter what you have done to others, God loves you!  He can’t help it – it is in His DNA; His character!

The clearest explanation of God’s attribute of ‘love’ is found in 1John4.8, 10, 12, &16 (my emphasis)

“But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.  No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.  We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.”

God’s love is perfect, unconditional love.  Humanity often evaluates God’s love by comparing it to human’s love.  Frankly, there is no human being that can fully comprehend the love of God.  We can’t help it; as imperfect humans, we are limited in our understanding of something perfect. 

A hard lesson for most humans is to accept the truth of Scripture when it states:

“And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children?  He said,

‘My child, don’t make light of the LORD’s discipline,
and don’t give up when he corrects you.
For the LORD disciplines those he loves,
and he punishes each one he accepts as his child. 

As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all.”  (Hebrews 12.5.-8)

Even by human standards, love without discipline is not love.  Love without discipline is enabling!

Physical and emotional abuse is NOT discipline; it is cruel and in-human.   

Now that you know that God’s discipline is part of His perfect love, how will you respond?  What will you do differently in your life?

Suggested Action Points:  (select one of the following suggestions)

Ø  Thank the Lord every day for the next 10 days for loving you with His perfect love.

Ø  Read and meditate on Romans 5.1-11.

Ø  Admit to God your mistakes.

Ø  Ask forgiveness from those whom you have lied, manipulated, or hurt.

That's enough... for now.