Accepting God’s amazing love. Hmm..sometimes easier said than done. We know in our mind that God loves us. We sang the song as a child in Sunday School..”Jesus loves me this I know..”. We hear Pastors preach about God’s love all the time. Nevertheless, what about right now? When we are feeling frustrated, hurting, or even a little abandoned. I’m sure we have all been there. It is in our nature to feel this way sometimes.
Everybody wants to feel loved, to feel cared about, and to know that you matter to someone. Well, I have great news! You do matter and not just to anyone. You matter to almighty God; the creator of the Universe! God loves us unconditionally. However, just like in any relationship, we need to accept His love, put Him first, and spend quality time with Him. Then we can gain full access to His tunnel of peace.
In John 3:16 is says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son; that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” His ONLY son…wow! As a parent can you imagine? Now that is AMAZING love! Once we accept His free gift of salvation, we are now a part of His family. As one of His children; He watches over us. His desire is for us to represent Him so that He is glorified. He also wants us to TRUST Him.
One of my favorite passages in the Bible is Proverbs 3:5-6. It reads, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and He will make your paths straight.” Now you see it says here “straight” not “easy”. God wants us to seek and acknowledge Him in everything. He will give us guidance and direction as we travel through this journey called life. We have to trust His love and know He wants what is best for us.
Remember as a child when instructed not to touch something because it was “hot”? All it took was one touch just to be sure. OUCH! We then had a clear understanding of our parent’s guidance! Their instruction was not to keep us from anything but to protect us and keep us from harm. It was then that in spite of the pain, we felt the love of a parent. There was peace and comfort evolving in our heart and our trust grew stronger.
As a toddler, I lived in the mountains of Germany and I have been to a summer camp in the mountains of Colorado. There are numerous tunnels throughout the mountains. when you travel through a tunnel i, it is pretty quiet. There is one way in and only one way out. There is no turning to the right or to the left. You must follow in one direction and go straight. You are shielded from the outside elements and noise. It is also usually dark and there is just enough light to see your way through. You have to go slowly trusting that you will come through the tunnel safely. I always thought it was the coolest thing to drive out of the tunnel into the sunlight and see the beautiful countryside!
I am learning to feel a similar experience with God. When we seek Him first and trust His amazing love for us; we can enter that “tunnel of peace”. We must set aside a time to be quiet with Him, blocking out the outside noise,(electronic devices,worries,opinions of others,our interpretation of circumstances) and read His word for direction and guidance. Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp unto my feet and light to my path.“ When we do this; we can have every confidence that we will come out and experience the beautiful plan He has for us!
Jeremiah 29:11 says, ” For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans for welfare and and not calamity, plans to give you a future and a hope.”
Hope… hope is what keeps us moving forward. It enables us to trust Him. When we trust God; we can have His peace. Not just ANY peace; a peace that was meant especially for His children. John 14:27 Jesus says, ” Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you, not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.”
This is the peace that I want not only for myself but also for my brothers and sisters in Christ! We must continue reading in His word and accepting God’s love. We must quiet our hearts and listen to Him seeking His direction in every part of our lives. When we do this, just like the maturing child to a parent, our love for God grows. We learn to trust that His love is for our betterment and not to keep anything from us. The tunnel of peace that He offers is available to us right now. Rest in it, trust in in it ,and glorify Him by sharing the love of God with someone today!
Question:How do you find peace?
Horace Williams Jr is the oldest son of a pastor who went to be with Jesus in 2020. He is an award-winning author and amateur chef who loves Jesus Christ. His passion for Christ inspires readers to draw nearer to the God who loves them.
Gorgeous photo & post! I love Prov. 3:5-6 and have them on plaques above my desk. Linked up with you at You Are Blessed — hope you’ll stop by Saved by Grace for a visit!
Thank you for the visit and kind words Laurie. I will definitely stop by Saved by Grace
Horace, I love the illustration of the tunnel of peace. I grew up in Colorado, and the only way up that mountain to where my extended family lived was through the Eisenhower Tunnel. In that tunnel everything was quiet and protected, no matter the storm that raged outside. What a beautiful picture of how God holds us and protects us when we look to Him and seek Him as our refuge. Thank you, Horace, for sharing your heart at #IntentionalTuesday on Intentionally Pursuing. : )
Oh…thank you thank you Crystal! I thought I was “out on an island” with this thought:) We spent the entire summer of 1978 at the camp in Colorado. My parents were the missionaries for the camp that year. What a beautiful part of America! Having been in so many tunnels growing up. It just came to me. When I saw the picture, it just fit. I do feel protected by my Lord each and every day and for that I am beyond thankful. I am dependent on Him. Which is where He wants me! Thank you again for allowing me to share on #Intentional Tuesday. You are a most gracious host! God bless you and yours!