You created us for relationship
You exist in perfect relationship
You put us in a perfect place
You teach us
You grow us
You gently direct
You don’t force us, even when we wish You did.
You let us fail
...and learn
You discipline us
You break us
You put us back together
...better
You remind us
You prompt us
You forgive
...and forgive again
...and forgive again (70 times 7)
You encourage us
You listen
...intently
You inhabit our praise
You love us
...when we are most unlovable
You empower us
You won’t let us be tempted beyond what we can bear.
You give us purpose
...greater than ourselves
...greater than we can do
...but exactly what we can do with you
You call us
You commission us
You go with us, always, even to the end of the age.
You are dependable
You are compassionate
You are tender
You are strong
You never fail
You never give up
You are trustworthy
You are worthy, period.
You are the true BFF
Friendship is your idea
...so is lifelong love
...so is marraige
...so is sex
...intimacy
...running fingers through hair
...comfortable silence
...pillow talk
...spooning
...coffee time together in the morning
...comfortable prayer time together
...bringing home flowers
...hearing your love humming in the next room
...knowing what they are thinking
Every good thing about lifelong relationship is from you.
You give our intimacy a joyful and fearful purpose.
You give us children!
Parenting is your idea.
...a breath taken away when we find out we’re expecting
...a mother holding her enlarged womb and already in love with the growing child within.
...a father with his ear to her belly, hearing the slow heart beat of the mother with the marching drum beat of the baby.
...both mother and father feeling a kick,
...synchronized surprise and laughter and thoughts of, wow, this is real
Because of you, we get to witness an amazing mix of both of us in our child.
...in their bright eyes
...their laughter
...their tears
...their habits, good and bad
...their dreams.
You teach us to teach them
...to help them grow
...to gently direct
...to not force them, even when we’d like to.
...to let them fail
...and learn
...to discipline them
...to help them to be better
...to remind them
...to forgive
...and forgive again
...and forgive again (70 times 7)
...to encourage them
We, like you, get to listen
...intently
When they say, “I love you”, we understand why you created us to love.
We understand love that is so powerful, it hurts.
You empower us to love them when they are unlovable.
You love them even more than we do!
You loved us when we were powerless.
We turned our backs on this perfect relationship but You would not turn your back on us.
You are a Perfect Father
...and You gave your Son.
Jesus brought us back to relationship with You
...You adopt us as your children
...princes with the Prince
...bride of the Groom
...a forever covenant of Family
Nothing can separate us from Your love.
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"10,000 Reasons" is inspired by the song of the same name written by Jonas Myrin and Matt Redman. The lyrics "...for all Your goodness I will keep on singing ten thousand reasons for my heart to find." I like to mean it when I sing it, so I was convicted to list off AT LEAST 10,000 reasons to sing in praise to my Lord Jesus Christ. God bless you as you join me in this praise. — Ken Shackelford