:)

Lately I've been such a Debbie Downer! Boo. None of that. I'm determined to work towards a happier life. :) Yep! I keep expecting something more from my relationship with God lately, and the silly girl I am thought she didn't have to put effort into it. HA! That's a joke! It takes loads of effort.

I heard the song The Space Between Us by Shawn McDonald the other day and I realized, that's what I'm missing. I was so focused on just doing the stuff Christians should and I forgot to actually be seeking to get closer to God. Whatta moron I can be! I realized I have to seek Him out and ask Him to fill all my gaps continually. Not just once. Cuz He'll fill the gaps, sure, but once I get sidetracked, I make new ones, or kick Him back out of the ones He already filled! Ya know? It's ridiculous.

Oh, and I was reading in Luke 5. Verses 12&13 stuck out to me.

In one of the villages, Jesus met a man with an advanced case of leprosy. When the man saw Jesus, he bowed with his face to the ground, begging to be healed. "Lord," he said, "if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean." Jesus reached out and touched him. "I am willing," he said. "Be healed!" And instantly the leprosy disappeared.

First off, the guy had leprosy. That was a big deal back then. You got kicked out of the city for having that and you couldn't come back until it started to regress, which didn't usually happen. So the guy boldy came before Jesus, and was, like, "Jesus, I know you can heal me, if you're willing to!" That's a huge step of faith! He already knew Jesus could do it, He just had to ask! So many of us know that God can heal our hurts and fix our hearts but we don't turn to Him. We can be such fools. We know He's right there and willing, but we choose our own vices to numb our pain, when He is able and willing to literally take them away.

Secondly, Jesus chose to heal him by touching him. A man that hadn't been touched in what could have been years, was touched by the Lord of the earth! What a blessing. The loneliness he once had, was now taken away by the touch of the Savior. And He is still willing to touch all of our lives. : ) Sure, Jesus doesn't walk the earth anymore, so we can't ask Him to touch us with His literal hands, but He can still touch our hearts and kindle the fire of love and life inside us. And He is more than willing to. The offer always stands, it's just up to us to take Him up on it. Don't you love that? I do.

So, yeah! That's what's been on my mind. If there's any hurting in your life, I hope you're seeking out God to take away the pain. Seek Him to fill the space between you two. And ask Him to heal you, because He's glad to do so!

Happy hearts ready and waiting for worship tomorrow!
Natalie