Day Nine

YOUR HEART

But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.

—PSALM 86:15 NIV

God loves to love you. I like to think that every time I take a breath, and every time my lungs pump blood into my heart, God has another loving thing to say about me. He’s that good at it. Our God, the One who is breathing life into your life, is full of love for you—no matter what you have done or where you have been. For someone like me, who is pretty good at messing up and feeling guilty, it’s really, really good to know that I can’t make God love me any more or any less.

Consider the fact that in God’s eyes, through Jesus, you are holy, chosen, dearly loved—wow. That quiets my fears—the ones that whisper I am alone, unlovable, unworthy—and makes me feel brave.

Allow God into your heart. Let Him into those little places inside that are hurt and alone and afraid. Let Him love you, lead you, and make you into the courageous person He has planned—because I promise that adventure will be the greatest of your life.

God loved me when I was totally and fully unlovable. In my deepest pit of sin, in the farthest corner of my rebellion, in the angriest moment of my hate, He chose to love me. And I’ve been known to be a total punk. Unfortunately, I will probably continue to be a punk at times. Yet He loves me to pieces—all my pieces. I cannot earn it, I don’t deserve it, and yet I am drowning in it.

Our God, the One who is breathing life into your life, is full of love for you—no matter what.

So I do the little bits that I can to love Him back—and you can do the same. What does that look like? Well, it looks like making brave, God-honoring life choices in response to His love.

Has He given you a passion for something you haven’t been brave enough to pursue? Do you love to sing? Sing a love song to God. Do you love to write? Write a book about your love for God. Do you love to dance? Draw? Play sports? Care for orphans or elderly people? Whatever it is, embrace the fact that you are loved and chosen by God, and take the courageous step of using these passions to love God back.

BE BRAVE: How do you see your heart responding to God’s love?