heavenly day

have you ever had one of those days where you genuinely feel like you have just been with Jesus all day? you've just basked in his presence? i know that i am always in his presence, because i am filled with his Holy Spirit, but today it seemed that i was able to really soak him up and enjoy him. here's why...

this quote has been weighing on my heart today (and y'all know how i love a good quote):

"in a world so full of suffering, why should i be so blessed?" (brett dennen)

i woke up this morning (i could stop right there - i woke up.) in a huge, cozy bed with my favorite t-shirt material sheets with a new comforter and pillows purchased by my sweet momma. i hopped out of my bed, greeted by sunshine and kisses from two, funny dogs that adore me (and that i love to pieces). i walked into the kitchen of the home that i own, and opened the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of water and yogurt for breakfast (and i had the option of many other things to eat). i turned on my ipod, walked into my den, opened the blinds to find the most perfect day waiting for me. i sat down to check my email on a new laptop. i found an encouraging email from my mom waiting for me. i checked my bank account to find that i have plenty of money to last until my next pay day. i took a shower with hot water and lots of girly, smelly products. i had the choice of many different clothes to put on. i got in my car and drove to church, where i worshipped without fear of being arrested, persecuted, or killed. i went out to lunch with three sweet friends. i stopped on my way home and put seventy dollars worth of gas into my car (which was given to me as a birthday gift for my 20th birthday). i came home, opened the windows, felt a cool breeze, and fell asleep on my couch. i went to the grocery store and spent one hundred dollars on food. i got to talk to my accountability partner in sweden. i turned my ipod back on, opened my bible, sat down with a bowl of spaghetti (my favorite dinner), and sat in disbelief at how blessed i am. i mean really, who lives like this?

why me? why did Jesus choose me - call me out? why does he want ME? i'm nothing. i am so accutely aware of how nothing i am. and even worse than being nothing, i am a sinner. it absolutely blows my mind that i am given days like today. and when i think about it, why isn't every day i am given like this? why do i choose so often to focus on the things that don't go my way? why do i expect any more than what i've already been given - because i have already been given too much. i deserve hell, and yet i'm given heaven freely. and i know this earthly life isn't perfect, but days like today are so, so close.

i read this in ecclesiastes 3 today:

"i know nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives; and, also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor - it's the gift of God."

Jesus wants me to enjoy the things he's given me. he's given me so much so that i might DO something with it.

i also read this in 1 peter 2 today:

"but you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, his own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy."

those words are underlined in my bible to the point that i can hardly read them. they move my heart to tears. friends, when will we stop living our lives wrecklessly - unaware of the love the Father has for us - ignorant of the responsibility that comes with being his chosen generation - wasting his blessings? at the risk of offending some of my baptist friends (particularly my mother - love ya, mom): he didn't choose everybody. there are people who will go to hell. i know that's not exactly politically correct in the year 2011, but the Word of God is outside of time, and it is true forever. nothing in myself initiated a relationship with God. in fact, everything in me hated God. it was God (and is God), who initiated with me. he moved my heart to repentance and salvation. he gives me the desire to know him and the ability to love him. he gives me a new, clean heart, and he makes me holy as he is holy. it's God. and because God is God, and he is wrathful, and he is just, there will be people who go to hell. we don't like to think about this, but the point is: grace is so overwhelming, because it isn't given to all. he. chose. ME. if you know him, he. chose. YOU. he chose me to know him and serve him and spend eternity with him. that truth in and of itself should completely knock us to our knees - to our faces, actually.

i guess the old question, "why me?" is two-fold. why me? why am i so blessed? it's only by the amazing grace and love of the God of the universe. i just got chills. now the question for those of us who are in Christ is this: how will we respond? because it's not about the blessings, it's about the One who blesses.