Show Me Who God Is!

I was sitting with a friend last week who has one of the most intense, dynamic relationships with God I’ve ever seen. I love to just be with her, hoping her passion and her understanding of God’s love will rub off on me. She was sharing how God had revealed to her in a very personal, meaningful way the importance of our love for each other in the body of Christ - the eternal value of our relationships. Looking back over this year, I know for a fact that that is exactly the area that God has chosen to put me through boot camp. Naturally, I’m quite the task-oriented person. I’m not very relational. In fact I’m relationally impaired. So, in working through many issues this year, God has chosen to reveal things in my heart that needed dealt with so that I could experience true intimacy within the body of Christ. It has been painful. I often feel like the picnic table sitting on my porch, whose paint I’ve been harshly peeling off with a wire brush.

What I began to realize while sitting with my friend is truly how critical our relationships in the body are for our understanding of the Lord. Philemon 6 has been one of my favorite verses the last few years. It says, “I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.” At first glance, I thought the word “sharing” spoke of evangelism, but it doesn’t. It is the word “Koinania”. It is speaking of true fellowship. It is saying that unless we are active in sharing with each other what God is doing in our lives, we will not have a full understanding of what we have in Christ. I could not have found a verse that has proven more true in my life this last year. Verse 7 goes on to say, “Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.” Wow! How refreshing and beautiful the love of my brothers and sisters in Christ is.

I was sharing with my friend how I’ve always been enthralled of how she “gets” God, but how so many may not even get what she means when she speaks of God’s unconditional, unfailing, passionate love - because they’ve never experienced that kind of love from anyone. How do we know who God is if the relationships we encounter with others never show us His character? He can supernaturally reveal those things to us, but so often He chooses to use the body to do that.

Let me try to explain more specifically. I’ve always had difficulty receiving unfailing, passionate love from God for me. I’ve equally had difficulty accepting it from my husband. I’ve been so insecure. He’s not given me any reason to doubt his faithfulness and commitment. Yet, my mind always goes to the worst possibilities when things aren’t going well. Just as I’ve worried that God may think of less of me when I’m not serving enough, or doing things the right way, I’ve worried that Bill might not be as committed to me if the house isn’t clean or I’m not cooking things right or because my body certainly shows the effects of having four children. As I’ve come to understand God’s love for me and have grown in security in Him, something has clicked in my marriage as well. The insecurities have left in both places, and I have began to see how Bill has shown God’s character to me over the years in areas that I didn’t understand the Lord.

It is God’s intention that we do that we show Who He is to each other. He’s given each of us a different piece of understanding about Him and His character and when we can receive those pieces from others, we have such a greater understanding. So keep sharing, and keep listening! We need each other!

Summer Reading List:
The Friendships of Women: Harnessing the Power in our Heartwarming, Heartrending Relationships by Dee Brestin

When God Says Go: The Amazing Journey of a Slave’s Daughter by Lorry Lutz (a favorite author)

First Mothers: The Women Who Shaped the Presidents by Bonnie Angelo

The Person Who Changed My Life: Prominent Americans Recall Their Mentors Edited by Matilda Raffa Cuomo

The Shepherd’s Guidebook: A Leader’s Guide for the Cell Group Church by Ralph W. Neighbour, Jr.

Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman’s Soul by John and Staci Eldredge

The Mom Factor by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend

Favorite signs at the antique mall:

“A Boy is a noise with dirt on it.”

“There is a special place in heaven for a mother of four boys.”

“Please excuse the mess and the noise. The kids are making happy memories.”

Kid Funny…well sort of:

Riley had a guest today and was trying to make him feel really welcome. There was a bit of arguing amongst the brothers about what he could and could not be allowed to do because of the house rules. But Riley stood up in his defense and announced, “He is our guest. He can do whatever he wants!” (Turning to his guest, he said) “You can even poop outside if you want to!”

Yeah, that’s how we make people feel welcome at the Gifford house.