Love People, Like things

    Growing up this was one of the sayings my Dad always told us as kids that we should "love people and like things." Well, as a child I remember hearing it but never truly putting it into practice. Of course a new bike took preface over any person in My book for just about anything when I was a young child, and then as a teenager getting my first car was the most important thing possible! It was more important than going to see my grandma (spending time with her), it was important than studying (and being a good student), and it was more important than spending time with my parents on the weekends. Now all of that time is gone! Looking back I see that there was so much wisdom in those words.  In Children's Church right now we are studying about creation. In Noah's homeschool right not we are studying creation (think God is teaching me anything?) God made everything and then he saw that it was good. He liked what he saw. He enjoyed his creation, and he made man to be in HIS likeness! God spoke: "Let us make human beings in our image, make them reflecting our nature." Genesis 1:26 (MSG)
      He made all the other things; Sun, Birds, Flowers, Dirt; THEN he made man. He made man to be in His own image that is how very much he thinks of his creation! Listen to this: Psalm 139: 13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb. 14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous -- and how well I know it. 15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. 16 You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. 17 How precious are your thoughts about me, O God! They are innumerable! This is out of the Message Bible, it's really great to read several versions to get an idea of what the text it really saying to us!  Did you hear that? He thinks of us all the time! He thought about us in our mother's womb, when he Knitted us together with such precision and beauty.
     God loves the creation he made. He made the beautiful oceans and in the summer (and winter) there is no place I would rather be! God loves all the animals he made from the smallest to the tallest he loves them all! But above all, God loves People. He chose to only give US a soul. He gave US a choice to serve him! Will we choose to do that today?
    When you look at others, what do you see? Do you see the widow who has lost her husband and feel compassion? Christ has compassion on you: it says we are not consumed because of his great compassions in the book of Lamentations in the Bible. The widow you see might have lost her husband 3 years ago, but she still might be struggling and hurting every night.  Did you take the time to talk to her? I know I am very guilty of not paying attention sometimes to others when they are crying out that they need to talk.
      Love People and like things. Do we put our "things" above people in our lives. I know it is so easy to get on my phone and just get lost in what is going on online, but who am I shutting out in the waiting rooms at dr's offices; at other places I go and have to "wait"? Why did God give me that time to "wait?" Maybe it was because he wanted and foreordained me to talk to someone at the dr's office. People are the most precious of all of God's creation to Him, and if you have Christ in your life PEOPLE should be the most precious thing  to you as well! (I'm telling myself the same thing!)

    God, Please help me to Open my eyes and see the people that you want me to reach right in front of me. Help me to see with your eyes!  I don't have to go to Montana, Japan, or Central America to see people that need you. There are those right here in Morrilton, AR that need Jesus' comfort, healing, and salvation.  God, please help me to lead them to you. Lord, thank you for your thoughts toward me while I was in my mother's womb. Thank you for the thoughts toward Cody while he was in his biological mother's womb. Thank you for your protecting hand and loving heart toward me each and every day!

Your Girl,
       
          Jamie