Emails From God

The Great I Am, Holy of Holies, Mighty to Save, Lord loves to email. Let me explain what the Amazing Almighty has done this week via www. On Sunday night when I last posted, I knew I was taking a big risk...almost a dare. In fact, once I typed Rise Up I was tempted for a second to delete the whole thing. I sucked up some divine courage, hit publish, and lost the entire post. No kidding...it just disappeared. Well, I could have taken that as a sign I shouldn't post, but I am not wired that way...I took at as someone/something (you know who) was trying to block a message of encouragement. So, I retyped to the best of my recall and hit publish again.

Well, of course once I threw something out there like loving to the extreme...even the ones who mean to do you harm (whether intentionally or unintentionally)...well, of course I was going to be given opportunity to practice what I had preached. I would love to tell you I rose to the occasion like Mary Poppins filled up with the Holy Spirit, but oh that was so not the case. Spoon full of sugar my you know what (only Mary Poppins fans will get that), I wanted to stab someone with a letter opener.

Now I seek the Lord, but I will tell you in all honesty I am definitely a work in progress. I truly believe because I actively try, God actively helps me, and a lot of times He does it through email..sometimes texts, calls, and visits, but mostly email.

Now don't log off here. I don't mean Adonai has a google account. What I mean, of course, is He uses you to speak to me and me to speak to you. I need all the encouragement I can get most days. So for the love (literally), please be obedient to the urge to check on someone!

Now, back to my emails. I was definitely in a tailspin on Monday and Tuesday. By Tuesday I had gotten off my knees and was reaching for my letter opener...just in case the opportunity presented :) That's when the emails started pouring in, and they were so direct and dead on to my struggle, well I knew the Lord was rescuing me once again.

First, a sweet friend sent me an ecard. Now, I had never received an ecard from this particular friend, and she is probably the one who needs encouragement right now due to some major life transitions. However, there she was sending me a card about being delivered from the storms of life. I had chills reading it! Next, came one of my online daily devotions which was titled: 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Give thanks in all circumstances. The next online devotion (when I say next I literally mean I closed one and opened this one): 1 Thessalonians 5:18 ... for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. The final email contained this central message: Matthew 5:44 I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use and persecute.

Now, I believe with all my heart, soul, and mind our heavenly Father looked down on me this week and saw that not only was I struggling with my own challenge to others, I was in real danger of taking matters in my own hands and totally blowing it. I received every one of those emails I just mentioned like it was a life line! People, don't blow off a kind word from someone. Don't disregard a phone call or email or text that just comes out of the blue to check on you or encourage you. Sometimes, we forget how truly in our midst He is and that He uses us to glorify Him. I mean it was why we were created after all, but we cannot do it without Him!

It is so easy to love some people, but so, so, so hard to love those who mean to do us harm. Jesus Christ himself called us to that kind of love. He died over that kind of love. We can love like that, but only with God's grace. Grace is not just a word found over and over again in scripture. It isn't just the words to a great hymn. Grace is fuel. It is power to do what we are called to do as Christians, but just can't.

Struggling? Invite more of God in. Hand it to Him. Let Him have it.