Your Love Never Fails

There are always things that are constant in our lives. For example, I know that as soon as my classes switch I will ALWAYS have the three MINIMUM students that will approach me where I stand, lean in, say my name over and over and ask me what we are doing today in class. It never fails. NEVER EVER. No matter how many times I remind the class that our outline is always on the board. Or how I explain how the next hour will go. Or the fact that they have practically the same routine since August. IT NEVER FAILS. It is a constant I wish would go away.

Then there is the constant that life will let you down. A Debbie Downer, I know. I don't say this to be mean or pessimistic I promise. But it always ends up that myself or someone else is will have a bad day, try to retrace what went wrong and get frustrated that life doesn't understand our need for fulfillment or efficiency. Somehow life didn't get the memo that we already have this great plan for ourselves. We have this idea of how others should behave toward us. We know exactly how traffic could be solved if everyone would drive as we do. Does the lady in Walmart not CHECK her 50 photo frames to make sure there are proper working barcodes? And does she NOT realize that I am running late and really just need a role of masking tape for a lesson I just made up in my head when I woke up that morning??? Does the house not understand that today was NOT THE DAY to have plumbing issues, AC malfunctions or sticky locks? Life letting us down never fails. Unfortunately.

So what then? Darrell preached an amazing sermon this past Sunday from Philemon. This is prolly my FAVORITE series so far that he has done. Which is saying a lot I think since all of his series have been mind-blowing and God-filled. And the fact that this 3 part series comes from a single chapter. He preached about several things but one thing he pointed out was how we can get so caught up in focusing on the negative. It's everywhere! How our thoughts can be consumed with negative aspects of our lives. But God says to take all of our thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ. Which can be soooooo hard! The idea of how many thoughts that are NOT obedient to Christ that run through my mind on an hourly basis is shameful. The verse on ceaseless prayer really comes to mind as I ask myself how to keep my thoughts in line and ask the Holy Spirit to redirect me. Whew. Good grief.

Fortunately for me there is the greatest constant of all. God. SO CONSTANT in His faithful love to me. How undeserving I am of His love that is lavished upon me. How unappreciative I am of His constant whispers and interceding devotion. How forgetful I am of His ability to know far better than I ever will. To make all things work together for my good. To allow me to enter His gates with thanksgiving in my heart and His courts with praise. To let me serve something that is higher and greater than myself. God thank You for the opportunity and privilege. Thank you for the constant goodness in my life. I pray that I become more aware of that than of the negative.

"You stay the same through the ages, Your love never changes, there might be pain in the night, but joy comes in the morning! And when the oceans rage, I don't have to be afraid because I know that You love me, and Your love never fails." - Jesus Culture