All Efforts to Locate You

When I don't know what to write about here I usually ask Ryan for help deciding what to write about; for an idea. He invariably responds, "Write about CHEESE." . . . or something along those lines. I asked him again today, and I fully intended to write about cheese if he had again said the same, but he said to write about the beach. So, dearest Ryan, I am not writing about cheese today.

So, the beach. I have hundreds of stories about the beach. One time we were down on the beach with our red and orange ocean kayaks and a floating island water toy. I believe there were more than just our immediate family there at the time as well.

The sun had set and we were pulling out of the water to leave. As we sat on the beach Dad realized he had lost his glasses. It was dark by this time and we could only see shapes of the things around us. We were the last people on the beach as we searched for the glasses on our hands and knees. I believe we finally found them, and we began to make our way to the top.

If you know anything about my family, you should know that this is no easy task. You already know that we had two ocean kayaks and an inflatable island. We also had bags and bags, chairs, towels, sand toys, inner tubes, and all the other "necessary" beach day items. So, the 8+ people and all our things trudged to the top of the dune and through the tunnel to the van.

We found a notice on the windshield. "All efforts to locate you failed," it said. It went on to inform us that the park had been locked because closing was at XX:XX (whatever time) and we were still in the park. Fair enough, right? I mean, you can't expect the park rangers to stay all night just because there is a van in the parking lot.

What got me, though, was that "all efforts to locate us had failed." How much effort had they made, I wonder? We were hardly invisible. If they had looked for us from the park side, without going through the tunnel, then no, they would not have seen us, but if they so much as stepped through the tunnel there was no way they would have  missed all the people, kayaks, toys, and other random beach paraphernalia.

It was impossible to miss us, really, but I've done they exact same thing. God is all around us, but we go about with the mentality that we can't find Him; that "all efforts to locate [Him] have failed." But what effort was made? If I look for Him--actually seek Him out--He is just as obvious as we were that day on the beach. No one could miss it.

You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13 HCSB)

I Am Convinced

What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died--more than that, who was raised to life--is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:

"For your sake we face death all day long; 

we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."

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 8:31-39 NIV)

This passage is chock full of proof that God loves us; proof that He really, honestly loves us. Before today I hadn't actually taken the time to look at it. I had memorized it for JBQ (Junior Bible Quiz) when I was younger, but I didn't look at it as if it could actually be more than words in a book or the way to a championship or a medal. These words were actually written to real people, and I believe that they transcend time and are relevant for us today. 

If God is for us, who can be against us? It's not asking if anyone can oppose us. Of course they can. In fact, the Bible is full of stories showing this. Those who follow God will, without a doubt, be opposed. 

James 1 says:

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. (James 1:2-3 NIV)

The Bible doesn't say if we face trials, it says when. We are certain to face them. People will come against us. Things will hurt us. But in the end, who really can oppose us? God is for us!

He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? If God gave his Son for us, what is he going to withhold from us? He will give us all things: eternal life, a perfect body, a new heaven and a new earth. What more can we ask for? 

Who will bring any charge against those whom the Lord has chosen? Who is higher than God that can say we are no longer justified through faith? There is none higher. If God has justified us, then we are justified. 

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No. No it will not. 

There is power in the love of God. There is awesome power. NOTHING will EVER be able to separate us from the Love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Even with the trouble I have with knowing that God love me, I was overwhelmed by this. I always believed it, but it's kind of like that "I-believe button" my dad would always talk about. It was something I decided to believe, but I didn't know it. Throughout the past year I have been learning to know it. This morning His love was like a flood. It was all over and all around me and suddenly I knew again that God loved me; that He loves me. 

For I am convinced that [nothing] will be able to separate [me] from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus [my] Lord.