I Believe In You...

Friends are such a lovely thing to have. Especially when those friends send you presents in the mail. Yesterday, I received a card from a friend that contained a check and a brief but touching message. It said, "I believe in you." It was a touching affirmation that warmed my heart. Its a powerful thing to hear those words spoken over you, particularly in a life- changing season where you are really learning how to step out in faith.

As I was thanking the Lord for my friend and this lovely gift, He reminded me of a very beautiful truth:
                                                      He believes in me too.

I was also reminded that throughout the Bible, the Lord to continually demonstrates his belief in His creation. And yes, I know, sometimes it was after some convincing and the occasional obliteration of most of humanity...but, in the end, He chose to keeps us around.

When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, He could have said, "What the crap was I thinking?" and destroyed His creation  determined to disobey. But He didn't. 

Then there was Noah. God was so fed up with sin and corruption dominating man's life, He was ready to wipe us out. But He didn't. He spared the lives of Noah and his family because Noah found favor with Him by walking in righteousness. It only took one man to restore the Lord's faith that all humanity needed was a do-over to be made right.

He sent Moses to lead the Israelites out of slavery. He used signs, wonders and plagues to spare their lives. Even when they wandered the desert complaining and questioning Moses' leadership, the Lord sent manna, water from rocks, clouds to shield them and fire to guide them.

But I think the greatest way God demonstrated His love and compassion for humanity was Jesus. He sent His son,miraculously born from a virgin, who's entire life was to teach God's people about the love of His father and ended in a horrific death by the hands of the men He came to set free. He was obedient unto death for the salvation of our souls. God loved us that much that He sent His own flesh to take the punishment of sin for us. 

Time after time, God has proven His belief in man that we are capable of more. He has proven that He loves us enough to give us every opportunity to turn from sin and live in freedom. He wants us to thrive. He wants us to succeed. He wants us to spend eternity at His side. I guess, the question now isn't whether or not He believes in us. It's whether or not we believe in Him.

I do, Lord. I do.

“This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him." 

John 3:16-18, The Message