But now, this is what the LORD says -- he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.” Isaiah 43:1 (NIV)
If you are His, you are always His. We can stray, we can mess up big, but if we belong to Him, we always belong to Him. Praise Jesus. It is an amazing goodness that God is pleased to be our Father. When our hearts were blackened with sin and our souls stubbornly rejecting His love, Jesus bled and died for us. Those who believe in Him have turned from being God’s enemies to being His children. Amazing love. As Charles Wesley penned: “Amazing love! How can it be That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?”
God purposes love to us, indeed while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. And if He is our Father, our desire is to be near Him - dwelling in His presence - as He desires good not evil for us, wooing us to Him by His love and mercy. We are to remember as well all our afflictions - though extremely sharp arrows - are not sent to harm rather sent in love to purify and humble and draw us to His feet. He remains closest to His child in the fire and He can often withdraw our comforts to stir our embers into a flame. Remember, Scripture teaches, He reaches down from on high to takes hold of us, drawing us out of deep waters. (Psalms 18:16 NIV).
God has deep, deep love for all His children, prizing them above all His treasures. He delights in us, even rejoices over us with singing. Savoring our company, He loves to hear our voices and He is full of sympathy towards His own – not only being near to us in our joys and successes but in our sorrows and infirmities as well. He who touches His child, touches the “apple of His eye”, and as He looks upon us, He see the least good in us, taking notice of every spark of grace and act of kindness done in His Name. He seeks beauty in our ashes, the oil of gladness in our mourning and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair and He can spot a grain of corn under all our chaff. He seeks our good and not our harm and every act of goodness done in His Name, simply delighting in our obedience. Further, as the winds strengthens and roots the tree and the furnace purifies the gold, so our afflictions are sent to strengthen and shine the saint – bettering us, making us more and more like Jesus.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”** Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)**