Thankful Thursday!!

You are God's Good Idea... I am God's Good Idea...

Ephesians 1: 3,4

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love

You were created in the mind of God before you were conceived in a womb. You were God's idea. And God is the One who made you for a specific time and place on this earth. You aren't an accident, a mistake, an error, an incident, or a mishap.
He is the One who brought you to an understanding of Jesus Christ as your Savior and raised you up so that you could fulfill His purposes and reflect His glory in spite of every effort of the enemy to destroy you, diminish you, defame you, or discourage you.
The fact is, if you hadn't gone through everything you have gone through, you wouldn't be the person you are today. And God knows that! He has been in the process of creating you, fashioning you, molding you, designing you, refining you, and perfecting you since the moment before the foundations of the earth when He first thought of you!
He gave you your own personality, your own abilities, your own spiritual gifts, and your own identity in Christ so that you, and you alone, might praise Him the way you praise, give what you give, minister like you minister, and love as you love.

He chose us before the foundation of the world... He knew I would be before He created everything... He thought of me on the cross while he suffered and died... and He thought I was worth it! God not only thought of me, but he thought of everyone.. His love and grace covers each and every person... Wow, I am shaken to the core that He would consider someone as messed up, selfish, and unworthy as I to pour out His love upon.. my thanks to Him should be seen in every choice I make, thought I think, and action I make... but it's not.. but God also knew that and He died anyway for me... Jesus' death on the cross was not a stipulation, He didn't die because He knew I would get it all right, He died because I wouldn't and He knew I needed Him! I am so thankful for the fact that I don't have it all figured out, but I know the One who does! I don't have to rely on myself... Praise God for that!

May I listen more closely today to what God is saying.. may I rely less on myself and more on Jesus... Help me to be your hands and feet and your eyes and ears today Jesus.. Help me to remember that I was created for a purpose, but more importantly may I see those around me, wether at the gas station, store, driving.. where ever I go.. as people who are yours, may I show kindness, compassion, grace, and patience... I want to reflect you today... use me to minister your love and love as you love....