Seeking God with Jaime Wiebel

Finding Our Identity in the Heart of God.

Unchanging Love and Sitting Among Friends Blog Party #8

by 24 Comments

Last week, if you missed my post, I explained that my short post was due to being on jury duty. I don’t know if any of you ever had the opportunity to do that, I found it to be a very interesting process.

The case that I was called to was not a real emotional case. It was a matter of did he or did he not commit this action with intent do wrong. The matter was over property and that is why I say it wasn’t a real emotional case.
The part that was the most difficult was to leave personal thoughts aside and only examine the evidence and make a decision on guilt or innocence.
This wasn’t a simple matter like I deal with on a day to day business, of he took my stuffed animal. This was someone sitting at defense and as the jury, you make the decision of guilt or innocence. There is real pressure to get that really right.
During this process, I have been thinking about my life and what if I was sitting in the seat of the defendant. I would be guilty of many things. Things I wouldn’t want to admit. Things I am reserved to even think about because they begin to conjure up thoughts of shame, guilt, worthlessness, and doubt.
I could begin to think about all the things I deserve. I know if we all look at our life, even if we think we are pretty good, honesty floats to the top of our mind and we can think of those things we deserve nothing but punishment for.
As believers, we don’t have to trudge those waters. We have the hope of Jesus. He has taken all that we may feel so inadequate about and turn it upside down. He says you are now dressed in my robes of righteousness. I don’t know about you, but that floors me. 
It completely boggles my mind because I know that my list is long.
God, however, in His God-breathed scripture has given me assurance that I am forgiven.
Psalm 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
Isaiah 43:25 “I–yes, I alone–will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again.
Micah 7:18-19     Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity and passes over the rebellious act of the remnant of His possession? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in unchanging love. He will again have compassion on us; He will tread our iniquities under foot. Yes, You will cast all their sins Into the depths of the sea.

If you skimmed over those verses, go back. Be assured that God has taken your sin and He has done exactly as His says.

He has cast them as far as the east is from the west. He has cast them into the depths of the sea. For His name sake, He will never think of them again.
In our finite thinking, it is hard to fathom. In our own lives, we often hold onto the offenses, the hurts, the wounds that have been committed against us and by us.
Listen carefully friends, God reminds us that He alone will blot out our sins and Micah tells us why. Because He delights in unchanging love. His love for us doesn’t waver. It isn’t dependent on our ability to be loved or be loving. It is solely based on God’s character and He is unchanging love.
I don’t know about you but I find those ideas so complicated and so simple. God loves us because He is love. He needs nothing else. We cannot add or take away from who God is and how He chooses to place that love on us.
All we can do is choose what to do with all that love. We can keep it to ourselves or we can drink it up and let the rest spill over onto those around us.  We encounter people daily that need to know the unchanging saving grace of our God. They need to know that He is a God who loves and gives the hope that is within us.
Go, be that light and be that love. 

Now Join us as Friends Meet, Sit Down and Share Life at Sitting Among Friends Blog Party. 

Please, linkup your family-friendly inspiring stories, recipes, DIY, homeschool, giveaways, and your life’s greatest passions. Friends are here to encourage and challenge in your walk 
of life.

Thank you for posting and linking up. I try to read and comment on as many of these wonderful posts that I can and as time allows. I just want to say you are all doing wonderful work and praise the Lord that I have had the opportunity to come across the path of so many of you. 

This party is doing fantastic and it is thanks to all of you who stop by and share this party with your friends. Together we can make this a great place. There are easy share buttons to your left or at the bottom of each post. Thanks! From all of us at  #SittingAmongFriends

Blogger Friends, By linking up you are giving me permission to send you email notifications. They will come from me, Jaime Wiebel, and they are just a friendly reminder that the party is open.  I am so glad you are here today. Hope to see you back next week. 

Comments

  1. Saleslady371 says

    You make a great point, Jaime, reminding us that as Christians we are forgiven and do not have to keep looking back entering into that shame and sin. Great Scripture verses!

    Reply

    • Jaime Wiebel says

      Thank you for stopping by Mary and sharing with us. I would say forgiveness is nothing shy of a miracle. We need to embrace this and live as forgiven children of God.

      Reply

    • Jaime Wiebel says

      Thank you for being our friend here. I love to see friends posting week after week. I am glad that you are encouraged. Secretly, I write so many times because it is what I need to hear. I need to say it myself. I love to have a community to share that with. You have a wonderful week Kelly.

      Reply

    • Raising Samuels says

      I hear you. It is nice to write out what we are experiencing, and the encouragement found between fellow believers and bloggers is incredible. Thanks for linking up with #SocialButterflySunday, Jaime! Hope to see you link up again this week 🙂

      Reply

  5. SandraJ says

    Jaime -What a great example in jury duty and getting what we 'deserve' – a truly scary thought. I love the verses you've chosen, what encouragement to know "He delights in unchanging love" and chooses to forgive. Thanks for the encouragement!

    Reply

    • Jaime Wiebel says

      Truly Scary. I am glad that Christ stepped in to take our place. To take our punishment. Without out that we would still be dead in our sins. It is awesome to know that through Him we are alive.

      Reply

  6. Dianne Thornton says

    I'm so thankful that God does not remember my sin, and for for His infinite love. Thanks so much for sharing this! I need the reminder to let that love spill all over the place. Visiting from Susan's! Have a blessed weekend!!

    Reply

  7. Lori Schumaker says

    Jaime, this truth makes me stop in humble awe of our God. "His love for us doesn’t waver. It isn’t dependent on our ability to be loved or be loving. It is solely based on God’s character and He is unchanging love." – Amen! Thank you so much for blessing me tremendously each week!
    Hugs,
    Lori

    Reply

    • Jaime Wiebel says

      I am with you, in awe. He doesn't love us based on our ability to be loved or loving. That is such a relief because as humans we tend to do that a lot. Our love is often measured or metered based on us. His character is not like ours in that matter. He loves because He IS love. That is too much to wrap my brain around sometimes. Thank you for visiting, friend. Always blessed with conversations.

      Reply

  9. Brenda says

    Love your emphasis on sharing the unchanging love…"All we can do is choose what to do with that love." 🙂 Hi Jaime, nice to "meet" you. I linked up after you on the Word of God Speak linkup. Both of these sites are new to me. I look forward to getting to know y'all. 🙂 I love the name of your linkup…sitting among friends. 🙂 Thanks for sharing. ((blessings))

    Reply

  11. carlybenson says

    Visiting from Testimony Tuesday. I really appreciated your reminder of the depth of God's forgiveness and how completely he removes our sin. It is easy to forget but amazing when you stop and think about it.

    Reply

  12. Tanya Williams says

    yes, I've been there. I am there and I'm seeking a way out too, I just reflected and sometimes we are just 'empty' and that's when we need to turn our cups..up and get filled. empty cups feed no one. Cups up! Lovely post Jaime

    Reply

  14. Hazel Moon says

    I once sat on the jury in a case involving a young black boy in the car with others when police discovered a gun in the glove compartment. It was not the boys car or his gun, but he was on trial by association. We found him not guilty, and afterwards I went up to him and said. "It would be wise if you chose your friends more carefully." He smiled and nodded. I am so glad we don't have to sit in the seat and be defended. Jesus took care of all that on the cross. Thank you for sharing with us here at Tell me a True Story.

    Reply

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