I sat there and listened to the sermon being preached. It was a good message but it was mostly directed towards those who are married. Regardless, I was still encouraged and challenged because God in His goodness reminded me of something…
After I got home, I opened the cabinet and saw a “little mug” I had gotten at a garage sale when I was probably 10 years old. I was curious and decided to flip the cup over and I saw where this little mug had been made. Upon reading it, I smiled- only God…
So you are probably thinking okay what did God remind you? And why are you excited about an expresso cup? Because of this:
“For your Maker is your husband- the Lord Almighty is his name- the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth” Isaiah 54:5
Yes, I may not be legally married on this planet, but I have a husband. I have not had my own wedding ceremony, but I am a bride.
The message today was about how when you are married, you belong to your spouse and your spouse belongs to you. A healthy relationship seeks the benefit of the other. The wife should verbalize her respect for her husband and the husband should verbalize and express his love for his wife. I sat there and thought and wondered if I verbalize my respect for “My Husband”? Do I speak in such a way that I am showing #1- That I respect my husband #2- That I belong to my husband and #3- That I love my Husband.
Not being about to see God physically sometimes is difficult because we have to remind ourselves that He is still with us. But, if God were physically in the room, I hope that the way I speak about Him would bring a huge smile to His face. I hope that there would be no doubt that when people see me, they know who I belong to. I hope that when they see me out shopping, or working or doing life that people would be able to say, “Christi really loves her Husband”. But I know I fall short so much. I question, wrestle and want to give up at times. Because, quite frankly, it is not always easy for me to understand what God is doing. His ways are not my ways. I have to be reminded that He is at work and when He is ready for me to know what’s next that He will tell me. In the same way a husband provides for His wife, God provides for me (but even better). In the same way a husband protects his wife, God protects me. In (almost) the same way a husband loves his wife, God loves me. He reminded me of this again when I saw the bottle of the expresso cup.
The cup was made in Germany!
The reason I smiled was because God gave me the opportunity to go to Germany. It was the first country that I was able to travel to! God knew that I would love to travel even before I knew it! Even as a kid God knew what I liked even before I did. I read Psalm 139:3 (NASB) yesterday and it says, “You scrutinize my path and my laying down, and are intimately acquainted with all my ways” God knows the things that bring a smile to our face. He stirs passion in us that we may not have even known were there. He knows our very frame because He is our Maker! He put those desires in us. He fashioned our personalities, likes and dislikes. He knows us because He created us!
He is a God who gives good gifts. For now, my traveling season is over, but seeing that expresso mug was a sweet reminder, as if God were saying, “I allowed you to travel before you knew you liked it, if I can do that for you, don’t you think I can do more?” God knows my friends! One season for you may have ended but you have no idea what the next one might hold!
I don’t know about you, but this makes me want to serve and love God better! He owes me nothing! He didn’t even have to create me in the first place. God could have just been God and never created the world. Or, He could have just created the oceans, and land and animals, since they don’t mess us things as bad as the human races does. But He chose to make you and He chose to make me. Then, He sent Jesus to save you and me! That right there is more than enough! Yet, He did more! He called me! He chose me! Okay, that is way more than enough, but my friends, He does so much more! He is intimately acquainted with all my ways. He reminds me that I am not alone. He walks with me through the valley and on the mountain tops. He loves me deeply and gives incredible gifts, but the most beautiful gift to me is Himself! He is good my friends and He does good! I pray that we can rest in His abundant goodness today knowing that we are loved, cared for and worthy in His eyes! Please don’t allow anyone else to convince you of anything different! You are loved! You are special! God takes great delight in you!
“Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart” Psalm 37:4
“You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do” Psalm 139:3 (NLT)
“The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17
