"Be? Do? No, just Be..."

(This post is simply for me. It was scheduled for today, but written days ago. I need a reminder of these things...sooooooooooo, I am disabling comments to this post. If you get something from it, great)

Do you worry about what people think of you?

or say to you?

or might be saying about you?

or may be thinking about you?

Are you plagued with thoughts of inadequacy in a room full of people?

Are you insecure?

Do you realize that isn't God's best for you?

Do you realize that YOU are cherished and prized in His sight?

Do you realize how much you are ACCEPTED and adored in God's presence?

Do you realize you can come to the throne of God with CONFIDENCE?

Do you realize that He rejoices over you with singing?

Do you KNOW that you are loved?

Do you KNOW that you are a King's kid?

Do you KNOW that God has a plan for your life? Plans to PROSPER you and to give you HOPE for your future?

Do you KNOW that God longs to shower you with good gifts from heaven?

Do you KNOW that there is NOTHING hidden from God...

...even your worst offense against Him!

Did you KNOW that He still LOVES you and CHOOSES you despite that offense???

I once told God I hated Him...

Know what???

He NEVER left me. He NEVER deserted me. He NEVER turned His back on me. He NEVER held a grudge. He NEVER took His love from me. He NEVER treated me as the world would have.

I've blamed God for unanswered prayers...

Know what???

He NEVER left me. He NEVER deserted me. He NEVER turned His back on me. He NEVER held a grudge. He NEVER took His love from me. He NEVER treated me as the world would have.

God does not love as we love. God does not accept as we accept. God does not forgive as we forgive. God does not think as we think. God does not put conditions on His love. God does not desert us like others desert...

God does HATE sin, but He loves the sinner.

God does HATE sin, but doesn't see it because Jesus Christ stands in front of us, saying:

"Father, she is covered in my blood, and she is pure, holy, and blameless before You."

God says, "Come, come just as you are!"

A man at church on Sunday made a profound statement. He said, "I spend all this time before church, putting on my finest outfit, and getting polished before I come to church, yet it is in God's presence that we come to get polished."

You may be fooling everyone else...

But God isn't fooled.

He isn't waiting for you to get polished before you come to Him. He's saying,

"Come my precious daughter."
"Come my precious son."
"Come just as you are."

Don't wait until you are "polished" to go to God. It's our job to simply come, sit, and spend time before the throne of God. He's the One who washes us up, dresses us in robes of righteousness, mends our wounds, and gets us polished.

What about ALL the "stuff" Christians are supposed to do and be?

Ha! Is it not God who works in and through us?

^{John 6:28-29} Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" ²⁹Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."

Philippians 2:13 For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose.

When we realize who we really are and WHOSE we are, it is THEN that we "DO" without needing all the extra fluff, attention, and praise. We "DO" because we have BEEN in His presence where He has breathed His life and purpose into us. We "DO" not because it is "expected" of us, rather because we love Him and are allowing Him to work in and through us.

Come...sit at His feet...let Him tell you how much He loves you and how much He just wants you to "BE" with Him. God is about relationship...

...not rules and regulations..

He works out the "kinks" in our lives.

Sit quietly and listen...

You may just hear Him whisper...

"Come, simply come..."