love's a crazy thing

so - this semester my accountability group decided to read through "crazy love" by francis chan. sweet. i'm absolutely stoked! i've heard nothing but good things about the book. most importantly, i've heard it shakes up who you are and challenges your beliefs, thoughts and convictions. bring it on.

i am going to try and capture a synopsis with some of my own measly commentary each week. i have some catching up to do - so bear with me. but, i have a feeling that it's gonna be good!

[chapter one: stop praying]

francis challenges us to stop talking at God and realize just who He is. "the wise man comes to God without saying a wor dand stands in awe of Him." when was the last time you stood in silence before the Holy God that we serve? let this video from francis put you there!

our God is unfathomably big. who are we compared to that... really?

"mean are never duly touched and impressed with a conviction of their insignificance until they have contrasted themselves with the majesty of God." - r. c. sproul

God is HUGE and creted the univrse, but He is beound detailed-oriented & created the other side of creation. we don't often realize that God din't have to create such diversity, but He did. "whatever the reasons for such diversity, creativity and sophistication in creation - the point of it all is His glory. God's art speaks of Himself reflecting who He is and what He is like." - page 28

everything echoes that God is glorious. there is no other like Him. He IS the King of Kings, the Beginning and the End, the One who was and is and is to come. know that God will not be tolerated: He instructs us to worship and fear Him.

as humans, we are all guilty of spiritual amnesia - that is - we forget Him, His glories and His majesty. reality testifies that living out our fear and love of God is so difficult. "when we love God because we feel we should love Him, instead of genuinely loving out of our true selves, we have forgotten who God really is." - page 30

to combat spiritual amnesia, we have to intentionally and consistently remind ourselves of Him. we must remember that we already have everything we need in Him. and we are to fear Him for who He is. A.W. Tozer writes that "the most portentous fact about any man is not what he at a given time may say or do, but what he in his deep heart conceives god to be like."

francis reminds us of what God really is:

God is holy: we don't get to decide who God is. our words can't contain Him. we can never fathom Him. He is perfect and set apart from us.

God is eternal: He's always been there and always will be there. we can't grasp this concept because of our perception of time. scripture reminds us - "but You remain the same and Your years will never end." - psalm 102:27

God is all-knowing: He knows everything about us before we even do. nothing surprises Him. God's knowledge of us should lead us to worship like david did in psalm 129. most importantly, He doesn't have to know us so well... He chooses to.

God is all-powerful: so often we live as though God is created for us and our needs. reality check - he's not obligated to fulfill our "needs". we must wake up and realize that He is GOD! it's our own arrogance if we think God owes us explanations.

God is fair & just: He sets the standards. period. "to put it bluntly, when you get your own universe, you can make your own standards." - page 34. God is holy. therefore, He hates sin. He is just and far for punishing sin.

ultimately, many facets of God are beyond our comprehension. scriptures shows us pictures of the very throne room of God in revelation 4 and isaiah 6. but, these are mere glimpses of Him. our God radiates like jewels on the throne more than flesh and blood. and isaiah reminds us of what our response should be - "woe is me! a people of unclean lips!"

what do we ultimately take away from all of this? His tremendous worth dwarfs our puny existence and causes us to stand in silent awe of Him.

thanks francis. praise God. can't wait to learn more.

my love to you in Christ Jesus,

ashleigh

so much more

bebo norman says it best in my opinion:

"i want a crumb, but You are a feast

i want a song, but You are a symphony

i want a star, but You are a galaxy

and i have resolved that i'm much better in what You have for me."

it's from his song "the only hope."

isn't it true though? we walk around each day knowing what we want out of life. we think we have it figured out. from a good husband and kids, a stellar career, good friends, an impact in others lives - the list can go on. here the thing, these are all ideas that we can wrap our measly, small minds around.

our great and insurmountable God is sitting on His throne waiting to give us the world - if we just accept it. can we lay down our tiny dreams to take on His impossible and miraculous one?

paul tells us in ephesians chapter 1 that the power that resides within us is the same that raised Christ from the dead. yeah - the same power that smashed death is pulsing within your fragile body. whoa. so why shouldn't anything be possible? why can't we just let go?

to be honest, i'm sitting at the feet of Jesus asking that same question right now. what's more important - my dreams or His plans? when will i allow Him to transform my dreams into His plans?

all i know is this:

"'for My thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways My ways,'

declares the LORD.

'as the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are My ways higher than your ways

and My thoughts than your thoughts.'"

- isaiah 55:8-9

our God knows what's going on - it's up to us to let go and listen. stop asking for the crumbs and take in the feast. give up the song for the marvelous symphony. don't look for the star, be overwhelmed by the galaxy. what He has for us is so much better.

my love to you in Christ Jesus,

ashleigh