A quiet time on John 8:23 yielded one of the best experiences I have had during my times spent with God.
As I was reading John 8:21-30, verse 23 stood out to me. Jesus is speaking and He says,
"You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world."
I was confused as to why this would stand out to me so I asked God what He would have me learn from it and I wanted to share with you what He said to me so here it goes:
Kayla,
Have you not realized what it took for Me to have you? Do you not yet understand the magnitude of your circumstances? You were a child of the devil, a citizen of this early world. I am the Son of God, a citizen of His heavenly and righteous kingdom. There is a great chasm between below and above and I stretched my arms across it for you! I did it for you! I suffered for you! I died for you! How can you still doubt your own worth? How can you despair of life and how can you compare yourself to others thinking that you should be the same as them or have the same things as they do. My dear, I didn't purchase you with My blood to make you become a clone of those around you. No! I purchased you with My very blood that you might stand out and be different! That you would know who your Maker is and fall in love with Me! Don't forget Me! Do not go after the lovers of this world. I will stop you! I will make My way go against you. I will not let you out of My arms. I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Do not forsake me now. Come, be quieted by my love. Let me rejoice over you with loud singing. Come my dear, My beautiful princess, let me speak tenderly to you. You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you.
I realized that I had been comparing myself to other people, trying to measure up to them or be like them. I've been struggling in this area for a long time. But God wants me to be unique. His body is diverse and He wants me to stand out from the crowd by becoming more like Christ, not by becoming like those around me.
Thank you God for exulting over ME with loud singing!!! (Zeph. 3:17)
As I was reading John 8:21-30, verse 23 stood out to me. Jesus is speaking and He says,
"You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world."
I was confused as to why this would stand out to me so I asked God what He would have me learn from it and I wanted to share with you what He said to me so here it goes:
Kayla,
Have you not realized what it took for Me to have you? Do you not yet understand the magnitude of your circumstances? You were a child of the devil, a citizen of this early world. I am the Son of God, a citizen of His heavenly and righteous kingdom. There is a great chasm between below and above and I stretched my arms across it for you! I did it for you! I suffered for you! I died for you! How can you still doubt your own worth? How can you despair of life and how can you compare yourself to others thinking that you should be the same as them or have the same things as they do. My dear, I didn't purchase you with My blood to make you become a clone of those around you. No! I purchased you with My very blood that you might stand out and be different! That you would know who your Maker is and fall in love with Me! Don't forget Me! Do not go after the lovers of this world. I will stop you! I will make My way go against you. I will not let you out of My arms. I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Do not forsake me now. Come, be quieted by my love. Let me rejoice over you with loud singing. Come my dear, My beautiful princess, let me speak tenderly to you. You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you.
I realized that I had been comparing myself to other people, trying to measure up to them or be like them. I've been struggling in this area for a long time. But God wants me to be unique. His body is diverse and He wants me to stand out from the crowd by becoming more like Christ, not by becoming like those around me.
Thank you God for exulting over ME with loud singing!!! (Zeph. 3:17)
