His Banner Over Me Is Love

Sometimes we endure seasons of loss, or we struggle for something we think we must have and we wonder why God has chosen not to give. I was perplexed as to why God hadn't given me companionship after the loss of my mother. I tried to make several romantic relationships work but to no avail. Meanwhile, my job seemed a one way street to nowhere land and life remained the same, year after year. It took me a while to realize my truest failure was not in what wasn't working out but in my inability to seek God for who He is and not for what He will give.

When we come to Christ we must be born again. This is a very misunderstood concept. To be born again means to comprehend that truth only exists in God and we only have access to God through Christ. That means that whatever we've learned from sources other than God and His teachers are lies. When we believe this, God can begin undoing the teachings we've learned and begin creating a new mindset in us. It is through Christ's resurrection that we can become brand new. We have the mind of Christ and as we read the Bible, God's word, we learn how to live abundantly in this world.

An abundant life means a reliance on God and His provision. When we trust that God will supply all our needs, we are freed up to meditate on the spiritual aspects that need healing and growth. I've found that as I pray and read the Bible, the Lord begins a mysterious process. He begins to open my eyes to His truth. He is mending and healing the shatteredness of my life. He is an expert physician with the ability to bind the broken-hearted and set the captives free. My prayers have begun to get answered in the positive and my pathway has become smooth.

I recently learned something profound about God. The Bible says His banner over me (and you) is love. I didn't understand what a banner was so I looked it up in the dictionary. The definition states: A banner is a piece of cloth attached by one edge to a staff and used by a leader as his standard. God's standard is love! All that He does is motivated by love. Most of what others do for us or what we do for them is not motivated by love but by other things. This is the direct opposite to God's motivation - love. This understanding overwhelmed me with gratitude.

Three years ago I was utterly alone and now I have friends. I applied for jobs in a horrible economy and landed several interviews. I awaken each morning with the joy of the Lord in my heart and have a feeling that through all the times God was saying "no" to my prayers, it was to prepare me for something and someone wonderful. Each circumstance has taught me of God's mercy and love that awaits me throughout the day. He has become my strength, my portion, my protection and my friend. I've learned that all things work together for the good. I've learned that God has lovingly overseen every aspect of my life. He knows my thoughts and needs before I think them. (See also Ps. 139.) He answers my supplications in accordance to His expert assessment of where I am at spiritually and physically. He has always provided for my needs.

Dear children, I write to you today to encourage you not to give up on the Lord your God that you serve. Wait on Him, ask Him for patience to endure hardship and trust that all He does for you is motivated by love. He has a future mapped out for you and will make all things beautiful for you in His time. Trust Him.