Teenage Feelings

Posted on December 7, 2023 by Elizabeth Welte in Victory Call

When I was a teenager, before I committed my life to Christ, before I was a believer in the Biblical sense of the word, I remember thinking about loving God. I remember saying I loved God. Oddly enough, this many years later I remember feeling rather neutral about God. I didn’t FEEL love for God; I just knew I was supposed to love God. I believed in Him, I never doubted His existence (I tried once, and ended up having a panic attack.) I believed that Jesus was God’s Son and that He died on the cross for sins. I knew God was transcendent (far). 1 Kings 8:27, “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built.” Or Jeremiah 23: 23-24, “‘Am I a God near at hand,’ says the Lord, ‘And not a God afar off? Can anyone hide himself in secret places, so I shall not see him?’ says the Lord.” I saw God as out-there somewhere, sitting on His throne. I had no idea that He was (and is) also immanent (near). Acts 17:27-28, “so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope; that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being…” It is God’s immanence that enables us to have relationship with Him. It was when I realized that God wanted relationship with me that I began to understand love. Over the years, as I have come to know God more personally, more intimately I have fallen more and more in love with Him.

 

When I pause to consider Jesus, a sense of peace washes over my mind and body.

 

1 John 4:19, “We love Him because He first loved us.”

 

Your challenge for today is to dwell upon His love for you. Remember, He wants fellowship with you.

 

Diane

 

Written by Diane Hunt: Diane Hunt serves on the board of America’s Keswick and is the Executive Director & CEO of Changed Choices, a Christian non-profit in North Carolina. She is also a biblical counselor and women’s event speaker. For more information about having Diane speak at your next event please contact her at dhunt@americaskeswick.org.

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This Week’s Verse to Memorize: “Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”  Hebrews 13:20-21