Becoming His

written by: Carissa Waggoner

As a mother I can remember taking my boys when they were little to the park to play. As boys are rambunctious and full of energy, I would tell them not to hang from that bar or run past that spot. All their little steps I was watching and warning them from danger. Sometimes they would listen and hear me. Other times they chose to ignore me. When the inevitable happened and one would fall and scuff his knee. He would cry and I would come running.

Sometimes we fall. Just like I came running to my son, God comes running to us.
I remember a time I was angry with God for a while. I had fallen. Then something happened that shook my world upside down. In that moment, I was literally falling to my knees and crying out to God all at the same time.
God was there, even before my knees hit the ground He was there. He spoke and those five simple words which changed me from there on out. “You are done being angry.”

When we fall sometimes we anticipate God’s wrath. We think He will remind us of our failure to listen. We expect the “I told you so speech.” We expect condemnation.

What God does is different. He responds like the Lord did with the Israelites.

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Hosea 14:4
The Lord says, “I will forgive them for leaving me. I will show them my love without limits, because I have stopped being angry.“

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God responds to us like the father and the prodigal son.

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Luke 15:20
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.”

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God responds with love and gentleness. He welcomes our repentant hearts.

He takes us and brushes us off. He assures us of His love and forgiveness. He is so faithful even when we haven’t been. His mercies and grace reminds us that Jesus died for a reason, so that we could cry out and He would come to save us.

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Psalm 86:5
” For you, O Lord, are kind and forgiving, rich in loving devotion to all who call on you”

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God longs to be with us. He desires what is best for us. He watches as we time and time again choose less for ourselves than what He wants for us. Yet, He has already paid the price for our return when we wander.

I want to encourage you, if you have fallen to not hide in shame or guilt. In all humility allow God to pick you up and brush you off.

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Romans 8:1
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Prayer

God, thank you so much for they way you are gentle and loving even in our repentance of wrongs. Thank you for making a way for us to be saved by grace.
You run after us even though we have fallen. I ask that today you help us to see where we have fallen short and bring us to a repentant heart. Show us Lord if there is any way offensive in us. We pray that you not only show us these places but show us ways in which we can surrender or allow you to change these things in us. We humbly come before you Lord. Thank you for your forgiveness, mercy and grace.
In Jesus Name we pray. Amen!