Look Within

   “I have been crucified with Christ; yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives I me; insofar as I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who has loved me and given himself up for me.”  (Gal 2:20)

   If we are to find God we need to look within ourselves.  Even though He is everywhere, in everything, He is found best in His presence within us.  Paul’s words to the Galatian’s express this beautifully.  We must give up ourselves if we want Christ to live in us.

   We are filled with earthly matters and concerns.  We are filled with prejudice, bias and sin.  In many of us there is very little if any room left for God.  Even so, He remains within us waiting for us to come to Him and let Him become the life within us.

   God has unlimited power to accomplish His will.  Yet He does not use that power to push Himself into our lives.  He waits for our invitation before entering.  Love and obedience out of demand and fear is not true love or obedience.  God does not require our love, He desires it.  He does not demand our obedience, praise and respect but is worthy of it.

   God is pure love and love is never demanding but gentle, caring and compassionate.  Paul wrote, “Love is patient, love is kind.” (1 Cor 13: 4).  This is the love God wishes to give us.  He is patient with us, waiting for us to seek Him.  He is kind, giving us His mercy and forgiveness for our sins through the blood of Jesus, His Son.

   Paul further writes, “It bears all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (1 Cor 13: 7).  The love of God bears our sins; He hopes, but never demands, that we will turn to Him; He endures our delays, our failures and our faults, always willing to forgive.

   When you truly love another there is no need to be asked, you do what they desire because of that love.  They don’t need to demand anything from you; you give it freely, hoping to please them.  This is the love God has for us.  This is the love we should have for God.

   If we look within ourselves and focus on Him rather than ourselves, we will find Him and share the blessed love He has for us.

“May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the endurance of Christ.” (2 Thes 3: 5)