Thursday, May 7, 2015

The Divine Squeeze


How often do we allow someone or something to rule our days? Our emotions?
That co-worker, fellow church member, spouse, child, sibling, parent, employer- just hurt my feelings and now my day is ruined. The car (washer, dryer, refrigerator, or whatever) broke down- AGAIN. There isn't enough money coming in to pay the bills. My child is ill and I can't take away the pain.
That's when we begin to question, "Why me, God?"
Sometimes I think God's answer is, "Why NOT you? Do you see Me this? Am I not the Potter and you the clay? All I've allowed in your life are to draw you to rest in Me, trust Me, to surrender to Me, depend on Me- alone. For Me to spilled out of you. When fruit is squeezed what spills out? When I allow you to be squeezed what comes out- you or Me?"
"The parables of Jesus reveal a God who is consistently overgenerous with His forgiveness and grace. God's extravagant love, Jesus is saying, demands a joyous response from us."- Brennan Manning
And yet, our response to the situations, trials and tribulations- aka thorns-in our life is, "Why me?" It's allowing someone or something rule our day and our emotions instead of the intended response God desires from us- joyously trusting Him and Him being the fruit that is squeezed out of us.
What is your response to God's extravagant love? His overly generous forgiveness and grace? Is it resting in His love, forgiveness and grace? Trusting? Surrendering? Depending? Is this what comes out of you from the Divine Squeeze?

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