I heard a brief piece of a broadcast that really touched me deeply. I didn’t catch who was being interviewed – it was only a clip from the “Living The Promise” broadcast with Susie Larsen (8/23/11); but the woman was talking about growing up in Scotland where shepherds and dogs round sheep up and drive the sheep into a pen; and contrasted it with the shepherds in Israel where the shepherd leads the sheep – they follow Him. She made the application that Jesus goes before us in this life, so we know that He takes us to safe places.

She points out that in Romans 7 Paul is describing his frustration with himself and his inability to live life the right way/the way he should. But after Romans 7 comes Romans 8, which starts with “Romans 8:1 – “THEREFORE, [there is] now no condemnation (no adjudging guilty of wrong) for those who are in Christ Jesus, who live [and] walk not after the dictates of the flesh, but after the dictates of the Spirit.”and ends with Romans 8:38,39“ 38For I am persuaded beyond doubt (am sure) that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things [n]impending and threatening nor things to come, nor powers, 39 Nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”.

She said someone had once told her to imagine that someone made a movie of absolutely everything she ever did or thought about doing and showed it to everyone, and then asked her how she would feel. She replied, “terrible”; and then her friend said God has seen her movie and loves her anyway. The point being made was that there is absolutely no hidden thought or motivation or action that you have ever had that God does not know completely, yet He loves you more purely and perfectly than you can imagine possible. Therefore, there is nothing that can separate His children from Him.

So what about you? Do you sometimes get caught up in trying to look good to others and find yourself buying into your own deception, forgetting how you really look to God? Or maybe you find yourself feeling a little reluctant to spend intimate time with God because you just don’t want to be reminded of the guilt your conscience convicts you of? If so, remind yourself that God isn’t angry at you or pointing His finger at what you’ve done wrong. Nothing you have ever done has shocked Him or caused Him to think less highly of you. Instead, picture His arms open wide, ready to receive His precious children into His warm embrace. I often imagine myself climbing into His lap. When I imagine God in this way, I picture Him like a happy, laughing Papa with a great big lap that encircles me with safety and love. Absolutely nothing can harm me or hurt me when I’m in that protective place – not even the shameful things I have done. I can face them; see them for what they are. I’m filled with a strong desire to do only what honors and pleases Him. I realize that He only wants what is best for me – that is why He hates the sinful things I do. My determination to stay near to His heart and trust His guidance is strengthened