Overwhelmed... I've been attending Reality Church in Carpinteria for the last few months. It is a bit of a drive, but a beautiful one. As I was driving there this morning I was overwhelmed with the awesomeness of God and His creation. The sun was glistening (yes glistening) on the surface of the vast expanse of ocean out my driver's side window. It was almost painful to look at, it was so bright, and yet I couldn't look away...( not any easy task while driving a bit over the posted speed limit) Angels We Have Heard on High, sung by Josh Groban was cascading (yes cascading...go with me here...) through the sound system in my car... and I was awestruck... What is man that you are mindful of him... the son of man that you care for him? (Psalm 8:4) And then the tears started flowing and I began thanking God that He has allowed me the opportunity to know that I know that I know, that He is who He said He is, and that He... loves me. And... almost simultaneously I was undone at the knowledge that so many I know, and so many I have yet to meet, don't at the core of who they are, know that simple yet life altering truth and I want in some small way (or in some huge way or however possible God's sees fit to allow me), I want to be part of sharing the good news...The good news that God loves you and sent His Son, to live and breathe and walk around on this place we call earth. He came as an infant. He grew into a man. He was radical in the time and culture in which He lived with His message of love, and peace, wholeness, mercy and grace. He was despised, perhaps as some despise Him now. But He was despised I believe, because they misunderstood His mission and could not reconcile unto themselves a way of life where someone they did not yet know, would give everything He had, without the benefit of getting anything in return. They felt threatened. They didn't understand that He did not come to condemn them, but to set them free.
This life we live is not an easy one. Bad things happen to "good" people. Those sometimes perceived to be the "wrong" people succeed and those we think ought to, don't. And indescribable things happen when least expected, or at the very least, when we are least able to handle it on our own.
This is life. There are days when the sun shines so brightly it takes my breathe away, and days when I feel like I can hardly breath, but for some reason, I'll not know the answer to this side of Heaven, I have a heavenly father who holds my hand through the good and the bad and has promised never to leave me, and today all I can say is, I am overwhelmed.
With Christmas just 2 days away, I hope for you moments of sheer joy. I want for you peace as you navigate your days. And, most of all I ache for you to know, if you don't already, that God... when we least deserved it... first loved us, and in His infinite mercy and unmeasured grace, sent His Son, the one the shepherds first heard about 2000 years ago, that we might live, and breath and walk with Him, all the days of our lives and when our time has come, one day see Him face to face. Merry Christmas, grace, peace and hope - Kari
With Christmas just 2 days away, I hope for you moments of sheer joy. I want for you peace as you navigate your days. And, most of all I ache for you to know, if you don't already, that God... when we least deserved it... first loved us, and in His infinite mercy and unmeasured grace, sent His Son, the one the shepherds first heard about 2000 years ago, that we might live, and breath and walk with Him, all the days of our lives and when our time has come, one day see Him face to face. Merry Christmas, grace, peace and hope - Kari
