Is God Proud.......of me?

Ah.... Saturday mornings- I know I have told you before, but....... I love 'em- The bike- the ride with friends- The rush of the wind in my face as I go downhill- Fast- Really, really fast. The beauty of the morning mist on the river- Incredible! Then there's Bojangles- Boberry biscuits- A bit of Heaven on earth- Sitting at the table with friends- Friends who are willing to be honest- Willing to get past talking about Sports and other people- Willing to share a bit of their own lives. Community is a beautiful thing.

"And He hadn't even done anything yet"

A friend responded when I mentioned the pride God showed

in His Son at His Baptism.

Such an epiphany for me. You have to understand-

There is a question I have never been able to put words to-

A question I have struggled with......

For a long, long time-

"Is God proud of me?"

I have known that God Loves me for as long as I can remember. Yet, somehow that Love has come across as a sense of pity- You know- Like you feel when you come across some poor stray- Not really worth saving- But rousing such sorrow in your heart- That you feel compelled to throw it a scrap of kindness. Oh, now don't misunderstand- I know about Grace- I believe in God's Grace- I know that there is nothing-Absolutely nothing- I have done or can do to merit salvation. Yet-

It is really just now sinking into my heart-

That the reality of His Grace-

Never has meant that I was worthless.

Deserving of salvation? Absolutely not. Yet valued by God- Even desired by God? Absolutely yes! But why? Why would He want this poor pitiful man? Maybe it is simply because He made me. Because I was His- Created for the expression of His Love and Glory- Part of His Creation- No............... More than that- Made in His Image.

Ah, but then tragedy-

Lost to Him.

His valued creation lost to Him.

His Good Creation lost to Him-

Hopeless -

Save for His own willingness to go to war to recover us.

Now there is a part of me that is not comfortable with saying God lost something. It feels like some kind of denial of His Omnipotence- And yet the scripture says it- "He came to seek and to save that which was lost" I have to think God was pleased with His Creation- Especially proud of humanity- Made in His very Image- The expression of His Love.

Could it be that I am-

That we are.............. really valuable to God?

Simply because we were His.

Could it be that when we come back to Him- Restored......... Made New in Christ- Raised to newness of life- Brought up out of the water- Brought up out of death and into Life in Him- He can say of us at that very moment-

This is my child.....

I am proud of him-

I am proud to call him Mine-

And we haven't even done anything yet.

God asked me recently- "Charles- Are you proud of your own children?" I have to confess- It took a bit of thought to answer that question. "Well yes Lord...........I am" "Why?" He shot back- "Well Lord.........they are mine" I had to answer. They are not always what I want them to be, but- They are mine.

"Charles, you are Mine-

And I am so proud to have you as Mine!"

And I haven't even done anything yet!

Matthew 3:17 And a voice from heaven said,

"This is my Son, whom I love;

With Him I am well pleased."

Father thank You for those words of affirmation-

Thank You for making me Yours in Christ-

Thank You that You have restored me to a place

Where You can be proud of me-

Where I can rest in the Fact that I am Yours.

Amen