A Pursuing God

Revelation 3:20Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

I don't know where to start. This verse makes my heart soar. A lot of times, I hate writing about one verse all by itself because there's so much we can get from the context. But this one just about knocked me over the first time I actully took time to read it. The Lord is writing to the Church in Laodicea, pouring his heart out to them. This church said they loved God but really, didnt care a hoot what they were doing.
Earlier in verse 16 God cries out that "since you are luke warm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth." In other words, the actions that he was seeing were "making him sick" (real good theology term for ya!) The Christians in this Church probably understood a little too well how much that statement was true, and they didn't care. It was just a little too hard, and a little too convicting to change, but hey, they said the prayer, they believe in Christ, that's good enough right? (I'm stepping on my own toes here...)
So, after I've completely depressed all of you, let me shine some light on that subject. God still pursues us. It doesn't matter that we don't pursue him with a passion, he still pursues us with an incomprehensible and unmeasurable passion.
Think about it. The Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End... the "Amen" of life... let me get real lame here and just point out something that I think a part of each one of us asks. How - no, WHY- would a Being with that much "say- so" that much power, care about me? Cummon, I'm a kid that works in a town of 7,000 people, hasn't acchieved much as far as society's concerned, and yet the God of the Universe is standing at my door? Put in your own story, but I think the same is true for all of us. If WE were God, there's no way on earth we'd stand "knocking" at someone's door, and not stopping until they answer. Yet the fact that that isn't explainable is what makes it so precious. Love stepped down and came to live among us, even though Love (Christ) knew that He would be doing most of the drty work in this relationship.

I once heard the "Christian" journey described using initiatives. This speaker kept on saying "Christ loves you, but you have to take the first step." I understand -oh so well- where this man was coming from. (Christ will not make you love him) But at the same time, I don't agree. Christ "beat us" to the initiative. Go to Golgotha... the pursuing became evdent there. And the fact that he is willing to stand at our "door" (our heart) and knock until we answer tells me a few things.
1. He doesn't give up easily
2. His love outstands my stubbornness
3. He pursues no matter our history.

Most of you have been in church most of your lives. Do me a favor will you? Don't take this verse like water off a duck's back. This has HOPE written over it... just because you've heard His Story more times than you can count does not mean you cant step back and revisit the awe that ruled your life the first time you somehow heard the "Amen" of Life simply say "I'll do anything to be with you."
Pretty powerful stuff... I'l talk to you later
Cass

Scale the Heights, find the Master

Hey Guys,'

Whoever is still out there.... HI! Sorry I've sort of resorted to keeping all this going through email, so I have, in some ways, kind of forgotten about this space. I could give you a great excuse, but that's all it'd be, an excuse. Most of my days the past several months have been insane with school work and having a very filled - yet routine- life. Any of you that have actually seen my life know I hate it when my life turns into a routine. At the same time, when you're living on a college campus with about 40 students and its impossible for you to leave, there's very rarely a "routine" day. But even that can turn into a routine.
This past year at Alaska Christian College (ACC) smacked me around... a lot. Theology always throws me for a spin, because I don't really have the gift of faith. I would only have that gift if faith meant "analyze and explain everything until it all makes sense and there's no need for an imagination... because you always get the answer." You guys have seen and heard me argue (or, if you wanna get professional I believe the correct term in theology is "discuss") almost everythng humanly possible to explain questions. I think the craziest thing I learned this year is thats not always necessary. I went to college to get the Book knowledge in theology, and walked away learning alot, like.. God can argue his own case... and I'll never understand anything in theology until I accept who I am in Christ. How's that for a year in a discipleship program?

On the "normal" side of my life (no comments from the peanut gallery) nothing is new as of 3 weeks ago. I graduated from ACC (1 year program) and 4 days before that graduation, got my GED. Talk about backwards, but at times I wonder if I do anything the logical way. Now, I'm doing what every one seems to do around this time of the year... hunting like crazy for a job, and praying that I won't have to stay in the same spot of this gorgeous land forever. I absolutely love Alaska, but I'm getting a little antsy to get somewhere where no one knows me. Yeah, like I said, typical attitude of an 18 year old that hasnt shut-up or sat still since she was born.


Habakkuk 3:19 The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.

Ever hiked a steep mountain? It isn’t easy, there are so many times that you lose your footing. Falling is a little frightening as it is, but when you are 20,000 feet or more up in the air… just the thought of falling is enough to make you wonder why you even signed up for this adventure.
But when you make it, when the mountain is summitted, you understand that being crazy has its advantages. The eagles that fly over have the majestic flair that you’ve always heard about. The mountain doesn’t look like your worst enemy; but you really do see it as the amazing creation that God has made. This, my friend, is why you came, to be crazy, but to find that even as you gritted your teeth in pain, the end would be glorious. Let me tell you though that you won’t understand any of this until you’ve done it. You won’t understand the sense of astonishing peace that comes with knowing you made it. You’re safe and now you can enjoy the beauty. My favorite part though, is there is no way you can look at the mountain, the rivers, the whole creation that was set before you, and not see God.
So God is promising to make us surefooted as a deer. Sounds weird when we first hear about it, but think of the mountains we have to climb on a daily basis. Although if we slip and fall on these mountains it won’t actually kill us, but it can still do it’s damage.
To be surefooted, to take on the heights of our problems is a promise, but we have to take the last step. God is giving us the ability and the promise that He is our strength, but we have to climb. Climbing means knowing what we’re doing. Knowing the other promises that God has given us, and fully relying on those.
Rely on the promise of “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
“I love you with an everlasting love.”
“I am faithful and just to forgive your sins and cleanse you from all wrong.”
These are only a few of the millions of promises that God has given.

Nobody likes to fall, especially spiritually. Yet we have a promise that God will bring us up the heights of life and make us victorious. This promise is yours. Use it as much as you need to, but the biggest thing we all need to do, is know who gave us these promises. These promises mean nothing if we don’t know the promise-giver. Take courage in the fact that you are being made as surefooted as a deer. You can conquer any height because the Father knows what you need.

See ya guys later, I'm still praying

Cass