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loneliness

Questions 2 Day 15 Does God Need Me?

February 12, 2021 by Bri Bailey 1 Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Exodus 3:13-15
Psalm 50:7-15
John 15:9-17
John 17:9-13
Romans 5:6-11

Questions 2, Day 15

Tap. Tap. Tap-tap-tap.

Drops of blood struck a staccato beat as they fell into an ever-widening pool, saturating the dirt around rough-hewn beams gouged into the earth. Blood’s heavy iron scent settled in a stifling cloud over nearby onlookers.

Soldiers clustered in conversation a little distance away, raising their voices over the heartrending wail of mourners. One soldier threw a puzzled glance to the sky, wondering at the darkness shrouding the sun since midday. He shrugged in the inky darkness and turned back to his fellow servicemen. For those assigned to crucifixion duty, the agony that daily played out around them faded quickly into mundane.

But their talk halted abruptly as a figure on one of the three crosses heaved against the spikes and cried out,

“Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?”
My God, my God, why have You abandoned me?(Matthew 27:46)

Centuries later, we wonder what could possibly compel the God-man on that cross to knowingly and willingly submit to such agony?
To a death that left Him unrecognizable as human?To total and utter separation from God the Father and the Spirit?

Surely, it must have been to satisfy a desperate need.
To mend His eternity, torn by the sins of His creations.
To fill the aching loneliness left by their desertion.
To secure for Himself workers in the establishment of His kingdom on earth.

These are logical conclusions, but they’re based on a fundamental misunderstanding of the character and heart of God . . . one I’d never really considered until now. If it’s a new idea for you, too, cool! Let’s learn together in this safe space!

In essence, we ask
Did Jesus die to redeem me because God needs me in order to be happy?
To be joyful?
To be satisfied, or fulfilled, or in community?
To be effective, powerful, or present?
Does God need me . . . at all?

Absolutely not.

Stings, doesn’t it?
But let’s invite our egos to take a seat and talk it through . . .
Because it’s actually THE BEST news.

God needs nothing.

He lacks nothing; the world and everything in it are His.
He does not need our offerings, praise, or provision.(Psalm 50:7-15)

He created all, in heaven and on earth.
He owns all.
He is victorious over all, with no need of aid.
(Genesis 14:17-20, Psalm 24:1-2)

Instead of needing anything, He is the source of everything.
Including us.
He gives us life and breath.
He determines our days and our boundaries.
He, Who made us, cannot be contained by us.
Our service does not fulfill or empower Him.
He is not bound by our understanding or creations or imagination.
(Acts 17:22-29)

He. is. all.
When God revealed Himself to Moses through the burning bush, He declared, “I AM WHO I AM”. (Exodus 3:14)
No other descriptor is needed, or could be more than, God Himself.

He is fullness of joy.
While He offers to share His joy with us, His joy is NOT dependent upon us.(John 15:11)

He is fullness of community, existing as God the Father, Christ the Son, and Holy Spirit.

In Himself is shared ownership, shared pleasure, and shared knowledge of each other on the most intimate level.

He has no need of us.

But take heart; we’re coming to the best part.

If the God-man on that cross knowingly and willingly submitted to such agony to satisfy a desperate need, His sacrifice would have been one of obligation.

Instead, He embraced His suffering
Unto disfigured death and utter abandonment
to satisfy a desperate love.

Our sin broke our world, broke our eternity, broke our spirits,
But it did NOT break His love.
And so He made a way to overcome our sin.
(Romans 5:6-8, Ephesians 2:4-5)

No, He doesn’t need us.
But oh, how He wants us!
How He loves us!

In those moments when….
the enormity and ugliness and shame of our sin
punches us in the gut, stealing our breath and leaving us longing
to peel off our skin, climb out, and be someone else because we can’t stand to be this wretched mess for one more second . . .

Oh, how He wants us!
How He loves us!

For here, in the absence of need, the fullness of God’s want
astounds us with its flourishing passion. 

Beholding the sobbing heap of mistakes and regret before Him,
Against all human logic, with obligation nowhere to be found,
Driven by abiding love,
He wraps us in His scarred arms and whispers,
“Beloved, I chose the cross, because I choose you.
Even here. Even now.”

(Cue the ugly cry. Every time.)

What will we do with this stunning reality?

Perhaps you’re experiencing significant lack, or feeling small and incapable . . .
His truth reminds you of the God Who needs nothing,
Who is the source of all, and is graciously, your Provider.

Perhaps you’re drowning in condemnation and shame, feeling wholly unlovable . . .
His truth resoundingly declares His incomprehensible love for you.

Perhaps He’s asking you to respond to His love by stepping out in forgiveness, obedience, or repentance . . . .
Here, in this unforced space, you are free to proclaim grateful devotion to your Father, Lover, and Helper.

Move into truth and act upon it, knowing full well the One Who loves us best is for us!

As we reflect on these questions, seek His heart, and follow the gentle nudges of His Spirit, we can walk on in partnership with the One Who loves us best.

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Questions 2 Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
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Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Questions 2!

Posted in: Creation, Cross, Fullness, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Joy, Redeemed, Sacrifice, Truth Tagged: Desperate Love, eternity, He is, I Am, loneliness, Me, My God, need, questions, seek

Reveal Day 11 Dancing In The Dark

December 21, 2020 by Sara Cissell Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Ezekiel 37:15-28
2 Samuel 6:1-15
Ecclesiastes 3:1-22

Reveal, Day 11

I woke up today and struggled to put my feelings into words. For a person who loves words, failing to figure out which ones to use only added to the loneliness of the moment.

As I thought, a picture of the ocean tide going out came to mind.
That. I was feeling that.

How does the beach feel as the tide heads back to sea, taking with it anything not strong enough to anchor itself in the sand?
Does it recognize something is missing?
Does a sense of loss and an inability to hold onto the waves cause it to tremble?
Does an awareness of uncovering surprise it as the ocean breeze makes contact with the wet soil?

As the beach imagery provides words for my emotions, it also reminds me of the treasure trove revealed in the absence of those salty waters as the
waves run out and sea shells glisten on sandy shores. The ocean picture of runaway tides and hidden shells reminds me that while I may be feeling much like the beach at low tide, I have hope.

Good things, God-things, are found in the midst of these emotions.
Good things, God-things, are found in the faith that sustains us in the wake of raw, uncovered, and alone.

This hope is found in one Place, in one Person, the Presence of God.
Jeremiah 29:13-14 says, “‘You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart. I will be found by you’–this is the Lord’s declaration.” How many times I have held onto this promise, and seeking Him, knowing He would faithfully allow me to find Him.
I’m sitting here humbled by the Lord’s promise not only to be found by me when I search for Him with all my heart, but to dwell within me. Because Christ came to earth and died for my sins, I am able to interact with Him directly.

This was not the case for those believers living in the days prior to His arrival. In fact, leading up to Jesus’ birth, the Israelites had no prophetic voice communicating the heart of the Father for 400 years. They had promises of the Messiah to come, but no present-day prophet through whom the Lord would guide and lead His people.

The Holy Spirit did not indwell them individually; a priest served as the intermediary between a believer and the Lord through the sacrifices required by the Law. Until Christ became our perpetual sacrifice, the Israelites lacked consistent access to the Presence of the Lord in their lives.

But oh, how they reveled in the joy of His nearness when His Presence visited! David danced with abandon before the Ark of the Covenant as it was restored to Israel. When was the last time you danced with joy, and I mean more than quiet toe tap to a song with a good beat? This dancing sprang up within David as an outrageous act of worship, totally disregarding social norms. David sought only to please the Lord and rejoice in His Presence.

Elizabeth, John the Baptist’s mother, also experienced the impact of the Lord’s nearness. The baby in her womb leapt as the baby Mary carried, Jesus, drew close. I’ve never been pregnant, so I can only imagine the surprise and delight at feeling a child within dance. This must have been far more noticeable than the butterflies and kicks a soon-to-be mother feels.

As the first Christmas arrived, the shepherds were unaware of the nearness of the Lord’s Presence, but what must their responses have been when an angel appeared and brought the glory of the Lord with him? Years of silence ended as the host of heaven sang praises to the Lord.

The first Christmas ushered in the grace of access to experience the Almighty’s presence directly within our souls if we surrender our hearts to Him. When we seek Him with all we are, we will find Him. He will make His home with us. (Ephesians 3:17)

In those moments when an aching void turns your world dark, come to Him with your raw and uncovered and alone. Come with your bereft heart echoing mourning Israel’s exile cry,
“Oh, come, oh come, Emmanuel! “
Come with your longing for God with us, our God whose nearness is our good.
And in your dark waiting, hope in the assurance your Emmanuel is near!
Dance with David, John the Baptist, and a few surprised shepherds, and delight in the Presence of the Lord who came near!

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Reveal Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Reveal!

Posted in: Anchored, Faithfulness, God, Grace, Holy Spirit, Hope, Jesus, Joy, Promises, Reveal, Seeking, Worship Tagged: Close, Dancing, dark, emotions, God Things, Good Things, loneliness, Messiah, Nearness, Ocean, presence, silence, Tide

The GT Weekend – Adoring Week 3

December 10, 2016 by Rebecca Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ. Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer, rest your soul in reflective journaling, and spend time worshiping the Creator who longs for intimacy with each of us!

Journal With Us!

Journal Prompts

1) What seasons of loss have you walked through? Consider the hurts that have accompanied these losses. Have you ever expressed your honest heart cries to God about these? How have you seen God work through your loss to show You goodness?

2) Every moment, good, bad, or monotonous, is held by the Father. He waits at every turn, with arms spread wide, to show us more about Himself and His character. Sometimes we lean in to that truth and grow, and some times we ignore His embrace. In the past month, what characteristics has God been showing you about Himself?

3) We are right in the middle of the season of giving, but it doesn’t necessarily mean we are feeling generous. Identify some places you have been dreading “giving”, and pray over those specific areas as you consider the graciousness of Christ. Ask Him to renew your heart!

Worship In Song

Music Video: Shane and Shane’s Worthy of Affection

Pour Out Your Heart

You are my good. You are my deliverer and my mighty fortress.
You are the Creator of all, You hold the times and seasons in Your hands, and plot their direction. You are the Author of salvation, the finisher of my faith. You are kindhearted, generous, and compassionate. Your love is boundless. I praise You for being the God of all, for knowing me so well, and drawing me in to know You more and love others deeper.
Open my heart to a fuller understanding of You this Christmas!

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In everything, with praise and thanksgiving,
make your requests known to God!
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Posted in: Accepted, Adoring, Beauty, Faith, Generous, God, Grace, Handiwork, Life, Loss, Love, Missing, Pain, Peace, Praise, Prayer, Relationship, Rest, Worship Tagged: character, faith, fear, generous, goodness, heart, kindness, loneliness, love, peace

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