Falling In Love . . .

As I have been learning what life is all about - knowing and loving Jesus with all that I am - I am finding that this truth is all throughout the Word! . . . . hmmm, imagine that! ;0)

I was reading one of T. Austin-Sparks' books last night (just discovered his amazing website) when I "re-discovered" Jeremiah 9:23-24 . . .

"Thus says the LORD: "Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches..."

So God doesn't care how smart you are, strong you are, or how rich you are . . . (isn't that comforting?? :0)

"...but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight," declares the LORD."

. . . it's all about understanding and knowing Him. I think it could have been translated "let him who boasts continually boast in this", which to me implies a continual knowing. I've had a hard time wrapping my brain around the good side of boasting - especially in this verse, where it is personal. Can you just picture a group of Christians arguing about which of them knows God the best?? I'm not sure that this is what it is talking about, but I do know that understanding and knowing God is pretty high on His list!

This word for "knows" is the same Hebrew word "yada" that I wrote about on a previous blog. It's about intimacy and relationship and experiential knowledge. It's the only thing that really matters. What a priveledge it is to have this kind of a relationship with the God of the universe!

I have a cousin on Facebook who seems to like to post "shocking" statements. After reading his explaination for one of them the other day, I could totally understand what he was saying, and this thought came to mind . . . that, as a whole, the church has lost (or maybe never had) it's first love. Therefore it can't/doesn't know how to pass on that love. It can only pass on the things a Christian is "supposed" to do. The church has gotten more caught up in "doing" Christianity than "being" Christianity . . . and it's a sad thing, which I have been guilty of as well.

But here in this verse we see that if we really know and understand God, we will understand how important steadfast love, righteousness, and justice are to Him. And in knowing Him in this "yada" way, we will become His arms and feet to the world - demonstrating these qualities instead of a list of "do's" and "don'ts".

This song by Jason Gray sums it up . . . "More Like Falling In Love"

Give me rules

I will break them

Give me lines

I will cross them

I need more than a truth to believe

I need a truth that lives, moves, and breathes

To sweep me off my feet

It ought to be

More like falling in love

Than something to believe in

More like losing my heart

Than giving my allegiance

Caught up, called out

Come take a look at me now

It's like I'm falling, oh

It's like I'm falling in love

Give me words

I'll misuse them

Obligations

I'll misplace them

'Cause all religion ever made of me

Was just a sinner with a stone tied to my feet

It never set me free

It's gotta be

CHORUS...

It's like I'm falling in love, love, love

Deeper and deeper

It was love that made

Me a believer

In more than a name, a faith, a creed

Falling in love with Jesus brought the change in me

By: Jason Gray and Jason Ingram