This Beautiful Mundane

How long, O Lord? How long will there be hatred, enmity, and malice? How long will sin reign in creation, in mankind, the crown of your creation? 2 Peter 3:9  "For God is not slow to fulfill His promises as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." My heart is grieved by the brokenness of this world.  In my anger over the iniquity of my fellow man, I am reminded of the iniquity of my own heart.  How often do I give myself to selfishness - thinking of myself more highly than others? How often do I allow myself to bathe in my self-righteousness instead of humbly receiving instruction? How often do I treasure the fading pleasures of this world and forsake the infinitely better treasure that I have been given in Christ?  How often do I conceal hatred in my heart instead of forgiveness?  Psalm 51:1-4 " Have mercy on my, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blo

Oh, blessed Savior, bind my wandering heart to thee - I am ever so prone to wander, prone to doubt, prone to seek after my own way, prone to leave the One who has loved me.  I have been drawn back to Jesus' high priestly prayer over the past several weeks - One verse, in particular, has been an astounding source of joy to me: John 17:23 "I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me." Whoa... Just in case you missed that, this verse is in the middle of Jesus' prayer for His disciples, but not for them only - He prays also for those who will believe. " so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me." The God of all creation, the unfathomably majestic and great God, the holy and just King - He would condescend to love me? Not just a "she's okay at a distance" type of "love" but that beautiful, rich, oneness, ty