I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
A devotion for April 7th through the 13th
This weekend our church had a Spring Revival. It’s something my husband puts together every year with God’s guidance. This year’s topic was prayer. Listening to each of the pastor’s presentations was wonderful. Each covered a different aspect of prayer. The first one was “What a Friend We have in Jesus”. This first one started my mind going over so many things and the ultimate “message” I received blew me away.
All through the revival I found myself going over in my mind one specific prayer I used to have. Back when I was much younger, I was a divorced mother of two babies, discovering they both had disabilities. I was struggling, depressed, lonely, and longed for someone to love me. I didn’t have a relationship with God. I didn’t know much about Him. I did have a longing to know more. Even though I didn’t have a relationship with Him at the time, I still often prayed. I didn’t know if I was praying right or not but I talked to Him anyway.
Most of the prayers I said were something like this, “Lord, if you could send me someone that would love me the way I should be loved, I would greatly appreciate it.”. I longed to be loved because I just didn’t feel that anyone could love me. I had been hurt by every man I had ever had a relationship with, including my father. I just wanted to be loved.
When I met my husband, and for all the time since, I thought he was the answer to that prayer. I was so sure that God sent him for me and only he could love me the way I should be loved. One day even my husband did something that hurt me deeply. I stayed with him, love him, and support him and always will. I also still believe God brought us together. However, after this weekend I now realize something bigger.
I realized listening to each of the pastors, that God did indeed answer my prayer. What I didn’t realize is He answered it over 2,000 years ago. God sent his only Son who took on Himself all my sins. He loved me so much He died for me. Jesus was the answer to my prayer. He is the One and Only that can and does love me with a love so true it is beyond anything I could imagine. It is the most incredible love! He is my One and Only.
I love my husband with all my heart, and I know he loves me but no one on this earth could ever love in the same way Jesus does. He paid the price for me, died for me, all so I would be with Him for eternity. What an incredible love!
I believe my husband was sent to me in order to grow my relationship with God and to love me in this life and this world. God sent Jesus as my One and Only Savior to bring me home to Him for eternity. Praise His Holy Name!