God's Love is Lavish

Pour our your hearts like water to the Lord.  Lamentations 2:19
He is the faithful God who lavishes His unfailing love on those who love Him and obey His commands.  Deuteronomy 7:9
The LORD is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes.  He is close to those who trust in Him.  Nahum 1:7 

The combination of these verses has ministered to my heart.  I love the concept of pouring my heart out to God and finding the truth in the fact that He listens and cares.  In context in Lamentations this verse is asking the Israelites to pour out their hearts all through the night in desperation for their children and their country.  Applicable today, huh?!

Father God, I do ask that You will reveal Yourself to my children in ways that they have never known. I pray that their hearts will be soft toward You and they will surrender to Your lead throughout their lives.  I ask that You would not give our country over to the evil that is so pervasive.  I pray that You would enable us as believers to repent first and to love You and those You put in to our path in ways that reveal You.  Help me to pour out my heart in desperation for those who do not know You, Lord.  

In looking at Deuteronomy 7:9, I am taken by the faithfulness of God!  He not only loves me but He "lavishes His unfailing love" on me.  My response is to love Him and to obey Him - it is a cycle.  He loves me and I love Him and obey Him and He lavishes His unfailing love on me, then I want to love Him and obey Him more. Lavishes is such a cool word!!! Kind of like having love poured out on me!

Father God, thank You seems so inadequate for the amazingness of Your faithfulness and Your love.  And yet it is all I have, so THANK YOU!  Thank You that it isn't enough for You just to love me, but You lavish it on me!!! I am so blessed!! Help me to love You more and more and obey Your lead.  Give me ears to hear You and a willingness to obey, please Lord.  I know that I cannot do it in my own strength. 

Then Nahum 1:7.  The LORD is good!  Yes, He is.  A strong refuge when trouble comes!!! Absolutely. And He is close to those who trust in Him!!  He draws us to repent and to recognize His goodness and that He is in control.  He will protect us as trouble is part of this life.  But even more than all of that, which is HUGE!! He is close to us as we trust in Him!  In fact He lives within us by the power of His Holy Spirit.  I am never alone as a believer to face trouble or anything else! Knowing Him and getting to know Him more through His Word increases our ability to trust.

Father God, I do praise You because You are good, all the time.  You are not just a refuge, but You are a strong refuge.  You are the Almighty God and You allow me to have a personal relationship with You, through Jesus Christ.  Thank You!  Help me to recognize just how close You are to me as I walk this journey Your way.  May I surrender my will to You and be in Your Word so that I can trust You more!!!  I love You, Lord and I am so grateful that You first loved me!!