July 17, 2014
We who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary.—Hebrews 6:18–191
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The waterfall of My love will never run dry for you. If you just have faith that this waterfall exists, then you will find that you can let it wash you clean; you can feed from it, and find strength that you know not of. This waterfall of My love can be all of these things to you. I pour forth My love so freely and abundantly that it gushes and gushes. It will give you peace; it will warm your heart and make your life worth living.
The flow of My love in your life is always rich and free and abundant. I do not withhold under any circumstances. I manifest My love for you each day in innumerable ways. But whether or not you see it or feel it or recognize it, that does not change the fact that My love is constant and abundant and unconditional.
You can’t earn it or work for it or be worthy of it in yourself; it is a free gift. I will always love you with a perfect love, with an unending love, with an abundant love.
So remember the example of the waterfall: Just as you cannot stop the powerful flow of the water, but you can only observe its beauty and feel its strength and inhale its freshness and marvel at its power, so is My love for you. My love for you is forever love, and I am your forever love.
I comprehend you in all your complexity; I understand you with absolute accuracy; no detail of your life is hidden from Me. Yet you need not be afraid of My intimate awareness, because I view you through eyes of grace.
Were I to look at you otherwise—through eyes of the law rather than eyes of grace—it could be terrifying to you. Unfortunately, you often view yourself that way: legalistically evaluating how well you’re performing. When you think about it, you realize how silly that is, because your performance will never be sufficient to meet My holy standard. Instead of focusing on your performance, come to Me and receive My unfailing love. You are troubled by fear of failure, but My love for you will never fail.
Here is what I see as I view you through eyes of grace: You look regal, for I have clothed you in My righteousness. You are radiant, especially when you are gazing at Me. You look lovely as you reflect My glory back to Me. In fact, you delight Me so much that I rejoice over you with shouts of joy!
The best way to see through eyes of grace is to gaze through the lens of My unfailing love. As you persevere in this practice, you will gradually find it easier to extend grace both to yourself and others.2
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The Lord your God is in your midst,
A victorious warrior.
He will exult over you with joy,
He will be quiet in His love,
He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.—Zephaniah 3:173
Fear not, My beloved, for I love you with a love that is endless. My love is eternal. When you fall and make mistakes and do the wrong thing and disappoint yourself and others, when you follow afar off, when you do not walk in the fear of Me or have the love that you should have, when you think negatively and get discouraged or entertain critical thoughts, these things do not cause Me to love you less.
You have gone through times when you were weak and times when you were strong. Sometimes you are up, sometimes you are down. Sometimes you are successful, sometimes you fail. But through all these times, I love you the same. Your failures and problems and weaknesses do not affect My love for you. They do not lessen My love for you. You can never be too bad for Me. Nothing you do or say or think could ever be so bad that it would cause Me to love you less. I do not put conditions on My love, saying you must be this way or you must be that way in order to receive My love. I promise you that I will be with you always, even until the end of time!
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How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.—Psalm 36:7–94
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I prayed to the LORD, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears. Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces.—Psalm 34:4–55
My love is like a river that flows abundantly: It never runs dry, and each of you may receive to your capacity. Each one may receive individually, according to your need. Fear not that it will be used up, for My love is never used up. Fear not that you will lose it, for My love is never lost.
I know your faults and I know your weaknesses. I see when you stumble and fall, but that does not alter My love for you. Does the love of the father for his child lessen when the child falls? To the contrary, he takes that child into his arms and cares for it more tenderly. Even so is My love for you, for you are the apple of My eye.
Fear not that you will be unworthy, for My love is not earned; it is received. I love you, just you, just the way you are.
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The LORD in majesty will be for us a place of broad rivers and streams, where no galley with oars can go, nor majestic ship can pass. For the LORD is our judge; the LORD is our lawgiver; the LORD is our king; he will save us.—Isaiah 33:21–226
Originally published in 1997, unless otherwise indicated. Adapted and republished July 2014. Read by Simon Peterson. Music by Michael Dooley.
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