Steve and I usually end up riding in the car together, since we have this 24/7 love/work/play/pray relationship going on, but honestly, as much as I love him and love being with him, one of my favorite things is time in the car by myself, and no, not just because I feel safer, since I tend to pray a lot more when Steve is driving, since he is a wonderful man, with a getr done kind of personality, which helps a lot people complete things, that they thought were impossible, but along with applying that trait to his driving, he is also still trying to fulfill his dream of being a Nascar driver. As I get back on track (no pun intended) - its actually because God chooses to speak to me most often in my car, since He usually has my full attention, except for the praise music echoing pretty loudly, which I always gladly turn the volume down for Him. So … this morning, I had a little respite of driving back from a closing, in this beautiful weather and for ‘some reason’ I was remembering how I detest labels - any labels! You might find a couple hidden on decorative items that I purchased years ago, and having a background in retail, I always leave them on for a few days, as I glance at the item in my in my whirlwind of household chores, and decide if I want to keep it. I have found in the past that I might not remember to remove those invisible tags. But its an obsession for me to cut other labels away from clothing, furniture, etc. - not just mine, I have to be careful, that I dont try to cut them away from other peoples, if I see them. I even have one granddaughter that I have passed along my OCD label obsession with, since she does the same thing, so I try to be careful about what they learn from me. Sometimes the removal or lack of labels cause a little confusion and laughter, when my mother-in-law was going to make the gravy for me last Thanksgiving, and couldnt figure out which sealed plastic container was cornstarch, and which was a different type of flour, or pancake mix - I did add some cute labels to those. I dont like tags on the Christmas presents, under the tree, unless theyre really pretty and or match; so I put them on the back or bottom of the present. Years ago, before we had 13 grandchildren, I tried not putting any labels - front or back- and I gave someone the wrong present - it was pretty obvious that it did not belong to them, but my kids still laugh about whose present they might receive! I actually got very excited when manufacturers began making a lot of clothing with the label stamped/printed into the item, which brings me to the words that I heard God whispering to me this morning. We all tend to judge people sometimes - even when we dont mean to - by the way they look, act, things weve heard, where theyre from, their possessions, the labels they wear - whether it be clothing, attitude, a smile, a frown, anger, a tattoo, insincere compliments, their helpfulness, a misguided choice that they made, or the way they worship our Creator. As I was reminded again by the labels that are stamped into clothing, I heard God say, thats how much I love you, so much that I stamped - set my identity onto your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Although you might not physically be able to see that label on me like you can when I wear a cross or a fish, or some other form of Christian declaration, I pray that you will always be able to see and recognize that the seal is on my heart - even in my worst days. I pray that you have a family seal, too; and that it is in vivid color, burning brightly through your clothing. You might try to cover it up at some point in your life by your words, your actions, your vulnerability to be deceived by the enemy for a season, but you cannot remove it, because nothing can separate you from the love of God and Hes coming for you, His Beloved Bride - know whom you belong to, be washed in His Word, and be ready!
Posted on: Mon, 18 Nov 2013 19:30:28 +0000