Thoughts from Max Lucado

Trading Places

He was born to be a man and became like a servant.  Philippians 2:7

Holiday travel.  It isn’t easy.  Then why do we do it?  Why cram the trunks and endure the airports?  You know the answer.  We love to be with the ones we love…

May I remind you?  So does God… Between him and us there was a distance—-a great span.  And he couldn’t bear it.  He couldn’t stand it.  So he did something about it.  “He gave up his place with God and made himself nothing” (Phil. 2:6).

The Father’s Love

The Lord said, “I have loved you.”  Malachi 1:2

Father, your love never ceases.  Never.

Though we spurn you, ignore you, disobey you, you will not change.  Our evil cannot diminish your love.  Our goodness cannot increase it.  Our faith does not earn it any more than our stupidity jeopardizes it.  You don’t love us less if we fail.  You don’t love us more if we succeed.

Your love never ceases.

Hope

I am the God of your father Abraham; do not fear, for I am with you.  Genesis 26:24, NKJV

Hope is not what you expect; it’s what you would never dream… It’s Abraham adjusting his bifocals so he can see not his grandson, be his son…

Hope is not a granted wish or a favor performed; no, it’s far greater than that.  It’s a zany, unpredictable dependence on a God who loves to surprise us out of our socks and be there in the flesh to see our reaction