Grace

Bridge Of Love

    Who You say I am ~ Hillsong Worship
     Warm embrace ~ Called Out Music
      Run to the Father ~ Kari Jobe & Cody Carnes

         "We do not fall from grace, we fall into grace." ~ John Gray

               
       I was about 12 years old when I gave my life to Jesus Christ. I remember the day quite vividly, it changed my life in so many ways that I didn't see back then but 10 years later now, I notice.
    
    At 12, I was so eager and excited to know God. Looking back at those days, I actually wish I could have at least half the faith I had in God back then. Child's faith as I refer to it, it is so pure and unconditional.
  
     The first love, the initial love we have for God when we give our lives to Him. That zeal that we have for serving Him, worshipping and praising Him, looking for Him.  That is the kind of love we should keep in our hearts, a love to follow God and serve Him as He guides us. Unfortunately, that love is hard to keep alive. Yes we start off well but as we progress, the love we have for God diminishes little by little and in some, it dies out entirely. I can attest to that. At that age of 12 when I found God, I was invested in Him and served Him best I could.

    All through out my high school. I joined my school's scripture union group and I was all about following God. I progressed for a good 3 years in ministry at school. And then I turned 16. By then my love for God was slowly burning out of me. I became reluctant to go to church, I slagged in my school ministry. From then, my relationship with God turned one sided. God hang on, never letting the bridge burn no matter how many times I set that bridge on fire. I was no longer the sweet 12 year old that loved God, I was more of the broken 16 year old trying to fit into a stereotype I had no business fitting into.
   
    I wanted so many things that were nonsensical, I saw material things that fellow students had and I wanted to have them too yet I couldn't so I would vent privately  and get mad at God because He wouldn't give me those things. I was always shy and insecure, even as a young girl. And with all that I had going on, the insecurities took a toll on my naive teenage mind. I felt I was not good enough, that I could never have nice things, that I could never be loved by anyone. Longing, Insecurities, zero self love and worth pushed me into making decisions that I would later regret. Stupid mistakes, one after the other but still God never burned the bridge. For an entirety of 6 years I fell short of the Glory of God.

    In all those 6 years, I knew that God existed but I didn't want anything to do with Him, I was just tired. My first love for God that had developed at 12 years of age burned out. I got into bad relationships, and those just made it all the more evident to me that nobody could ever love me. Whenever someone told me that I should go to church, I would get infuriated at them for even suggesting it.
  
   And still, He never burned the bridge, He never gave up on me. He instead kept calling me, He kept drawing towards me. I hated him, but He only loved me the more. I sinned against Him but He only forgave me. I cursed Him but He only blessed me. I denounced Him but He only acknowledged me as His daughter.

    For every plug I pulled on Him, He replaced with reinforced steel and concrete, He replaced with His love. He walked on that burned out bridge, got to me, took me by the hand, dusted me off, told me He loved me, showed me that I was worth so much more. He left 99 sheep in the wilderness to come find me and when He did He took me home, threw me a party and He has done nothing but dote on me with HIS love. He saved my life and He does so every single day. 

     I am 22 years old now, and I am proud to say that I love God. I love Him because He first loved me. I can't brag about my love for Him on a wide scale because I fail Him daily, but I can  testify of His love for me because He never fails me. 

         God's bridge of love can never and will never be burned. Yes we all fail Him time and time again but He can never fail us. He will walk that bridge regardless of it's loop holes because all He ever wants is to get to you. It doesn't matter how broken you think you are, or how sinful your nature is or how bad of a person you have been, NO. He only wants and needs to get to YOU.  In that abyss of darkness that you feel trapped in, look up. That ray of light that you see, is Him. He loves you so much more than you could ever comprehend.

      Do not burn that bridge, walk on it. There is a pot of honey waiting for you on the other side. And even when you think that you have burnt your side of the bridge, rest assured that He will never let His side burn out. For nothing can ever separate you from the love of God. Nothing can break down that bridge,  He would never let anything or anyone shutter that bridge. He is Faithful like that.

              
       "Romans:8.17
Now if we are children, then we are heirs-- heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
      Romans:8.35
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
        Romans:8.37-39
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,
neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."~ Romans 8:17,35,37-39 NIV

        ~For God so loved You~