Woohoo!!!

I was trying to think of something clever and witty to put into this blog, but I really can't think of anything other to say than this--my God is amazing. Thinking about Him honestly kept me smiling all day today. And that's not to say that today didn't have its issues. My cousin was sent away to a boarding school today for the school year, I was at work 45 minutes later than I was supposed to be because of a prior paperwork mistake that ended up costing me over 1000 dollars, and I had to wait for 30 minutes in a Taco Bell line to get a burrito. As traumatizing as it was (and I'm exaggerating my emotions tremendously on most of those), God managed to keep me smiling.

I was trying to think of something clever a
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I've realized that even when I can't get past my own faults I can look at God and see the image of perfection that He is creating me to be. I can look away from the sin and shortcomings of my life and the lives of those around me and see the God who loves us no matter who we are, but too much to leave us there. I can see through to a God who wants to remove the clutter and restraints in my life to mold me into a creation of perfection and freedom.

That's right freedom. Being a Christian has nothing to do with being controlled by God and being a goody-goody. As a matter of fact, if you aren't following God, then you are being controlled by the lustful desires of your body. To follow sin and pleasure is to be like everyone else in this world, and therefore, to be ordinary. To find your identity in Christ is to become an entirely NEW CREATION. It's to gain freedom from the body, to break free from the chains of sin, and to gain a personality that is completely unique to you given through Christ.

But enough of the personal, small-scale level. Consider how amazing God is in that sense, in the lives of the individual, and then look at the larger picture, the entire realm of Creation around us. Some celestial being can create a world of this measure in 7 days, turn back time for His servant Joshua to win a war, raise His Holy Son from the dead after three days, and change the entire story of mankind for the rest of time. And this created me? I can't even begin to fathom this entity!! I could honestly sit here and try and wrap my brain around it until the sunrises, but I do have work in the morning...

We all have goals--great plans for where we want to be in 10 years and what kind of house we want to live in. We can all picture the things that we want to pursue. Why not pursue the thing that's too big to picture, too big to dream of, or even begin to comprehend? Following God and His plan for your life is the most reasonable thing you can do. Nobody wants to aim for mediocrity. So shoot for the highest possible goal in this life--creativity, individuality, and personality found through nothing else than Christ Jesus our Savior.

"The earth and everything in it,
the world and its inhabitants,
belong to the Lord:
for He laid its foundation on the seas
and established it on the rivers.

Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord?
Who may stand in His holy place?
The one who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who has not set his mind on what is false,
and who has not sworn deceitfully.
He will receive blessing from the Lord,
and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
Such is the generation of those who seek Him,
who seek the face of the God of Jacob.

Lift up your heads, you gates!
Rise up, ancient doors!
Then the King of Glory will come in.
Who is this King of Glory?
The Lord, strong and mighty,
the Lord, mighty in battle.
Lift up your heads, you gates!
Rise up, ancient doors!
Then the King of glory will come in.
Who is He, this King of Glory?
The Lord of Hosts,
He is the King of Glory."

-Psalm 24