God loves you AND those around you!

Half full or half empty? Optimist or pessimist? Bright side or dark side? Most of us drift between extremes.How do you see other people? I'm so glad for my mum. She has always seen the best in people. If they are mean or bad or self righteous or proud or greedy mum was always convinced this was a passing phase and they were, like bubbles rising in water, just looking for a way to get to the surface, to see the light.Some people would call my mum naive. I prefer to see her as an example of faith and hope and love.Pam is speaking about God's man, Jacob, today. A grasping, half empty, deceitful, nasty piece of work if ever there was one. But God loved him and chose him. How do you figure that?It always seems appallingly trite to say "God loves you", however, it's the most astounding truth there is. Nice person, nasty person, it doesn't matter. God is for people. He is for you, He's for those you like and those you don't. The fact that you are reading this is an affirmation: God is for you.On Tuesday night we began a conversation about building a discipling culture. We wrote down the key life points where God had directed or turned us towards Him. God had worked in every life. Often the key 'turnings' were painful or slow or desperate - Jacob-like. Yet God still loves us and directs us and uses us.  We learned that often God has to yell fairly loudly for us to stop and listen.“So what, you may ask?” Well, if God made each one of us so fearfully and wonderfully, shouldn't we honour His work. Shouldn't we revere what He has done in each other's lives?  Shouldn't I listen more attentively to Him rather than rushing headlong. Does He have to dislocate my hip to get my attention or confirm His promise to care and bless?(Gen 32: 25).Many people are a bit crook at this time of year. It's irritating, frustrating, inconvenient. It's also a great time to ask, “Hey God, what are you doing?” and, “Hey God, what do you want me to do about it?”Half full or half empty? Optimist or pessimist? Bright side or dark side? It doesn't really matter, God loves you and those around you. See others for who they are in Him and act accordingly.Blessings, Malcolm