"You down there..."

I knew I needed to blog today. It's been a while. But I had no strong inspiration. So I found one of those "20 questions about you..." type deals and was planning to post my answers. It wouldn't be a particularly inspiring blog, but hopefully at least a little interesting. Good enough.

But then it happened. God inspired me through a whisper...

Sometimes when Derrick and I are in different rooms...or sitting on different couches...we'll say "I love you in there.", "I love you over there.", "I love you out there.", etc. 

Tonight he was on his computer in his office and, since he likes me just being there with him, I had sprawled out on the floor in the same room to fold towels and do my James devotion. In the middle of my reading, I hear a whisper from above me.

"I love you down there." Derrick smiled down. Making me feel loved. Safe. Sure. 

"I love you up there." I assured him. 

And then - in that same split second - I knew what I should write about. 

Sometimes we're going through life...feeling alone. Frustrated. Confused. We feel like giving up. We feel like no one would notice if we just stopped altogether. And then, like a warm blanket on the coldest night, God softly whispers "I love you down there."

Sometimes we're celebrating our blessings. We're falling in love. Getting married. Having a baby. Landing our dream job. Traveling the world. Listening to our favorite song on the radio. Basking in the warmth of a good book. Laughing with the best of friends. And, if we pause a minute, we can hear God whispering, "I love you down there."

Isn't that the best feeling? To know that we are loved. Safe. Sure. Someone cared enough to send His Son to die for us. Someone cares what you're going through. Someone is going through it with you. And not just someone - but the Creator and King over all. 

Close your eyes and listen. He's whispering to you. Beckoning you. Reassuring you. Caring for you....

"I love you down there."

And take a moment to thank Him. Adore Him. Worship Him. Praise Him. Whisper back. 

"I love You up there."

The King's Best Friend

Once upon a time, as all good stories begin, there was a king. He lived in a far away land and had much power over all of the people. He was a good king with a kind heart, and he loved surprising his people with good things. He hated when he had to punish them, although that was an important part of the job.

Like most of us, this king had a friend. His friend would come visit, and they would talk about life and what was going right and what was going wrong. Sometimes the friend would talk about what he would like to see changed in the kingdom. Sometimes the king would write letters to the friend - and the friend would curl up on his couch and read them, so glad that he had received a letter from his dearest friend. When the friend was sad, he would call the king or go visit the king for comfort. 

But, because the king was wise and powerful and ruled over all of the land, the friend was still supposed to bow to him in public ceremonies. The friend still had to honor the king and respect the king. The friend had to stand in awe of the kingdom and the power and pay his proper respects to the position that the king held. And this was hard for the friend...because he sometimes forgot that the king was king...to him - the king was just his friend.

This king also had a daughter. She enjoyed sitting at her father's feet and hearing stories of his life. She liked asking advice or crawling into his lap when she had been disappointed or heart broken. He was her daddy, the only one she could truly trust, and he would listen to her for hours. She loved him like a hero, and he fiercely loved and protected her. 

But when it was time for the ball, the daughter had to dress in her nicest clothes and bow with the peasants. She stood in awe of the king as he walked through the ballroom and was reminded of who her father was. He was the king. He was powerful. He was wise. He knew what was best not only for her, but for the whole kingdom...and, for a moment, she would be lost in how large he was, how important, how royal, how powerful.

Sometimes I think I forgot that God is King over all. Alpha and Omega. All powerful. Deserving of honor and respect and tremendous awe. Sometimes He's just my Friend and Father. He's the One that writes me letters and gives me hugs. It's easy for me to see God as a Friend Who blesses me with miracles and as a Father Who knows best. But I think that it's hard for me to be overcome with awe of how big He is. How powerful He is. How majestic He is. And I think I need to get back to that place. The place where I don't share the couch with Him or sit on His lap - but where I bow at His feet and worship His Greatness.

It is he who made the earth by his power,
who established the world by his wisdom,
and by his understanding stretched out the heavens.

Jeremiah 10:12

Fear before him, all the earth: the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved. Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations, The LORD reigneth. Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof: let the fields rejoice, and all that is therein. Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the LORD, because he cometh to judge the earth. 

1 Chronicles 16:30-33

 Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere him.

Psalm 33:8