CASCADING LOVE

My birthday this year was quite different from most years, which I guess goes along with the theme of 2020!

The presence of friends and family graced my birthday last year as we gathered for a “celebrate Christine” event. People shared how my life has affected them, making me feel very special knowing that the God in me is shining through. I felt so much love, which made it my most special birthday to date.  This year, I had the pleasure of rereading all the cards and notes that people shared with me that day. I am hoping to reinstate the tradition next year.

 

The “celebrate Christine” crew from last year. Great memories except for the broken elbow!

 

This year was a somewhat quiet day for me as I, at the last moment, went to deliver paperwork and say farewell to a car that my two sons drove through the years.  It was a full day of traveling for six hours round trip, but God’s presence in the aloneness was with me.  After all, especially on my birthday, as I pondered the meaning of my life and how God is working in and through me, what better place than to be alone with Him?

You may recall, my life song is “Offering,” by Third Day.  It was a perfect start to my ride listening to that song a few times, as I offered my life and my day once again to the Lord.  What great truth there is in this verse from the song…

This is my offering, dear Lord

This is my offering to you, God

I will give you my life

For it’s all I have to give

Because you gave your life for me.

 

We should live our lives, each day, as an offering to God considering the sacrifice He made of His Son, Jesus.  All that we do and all we are rests on that.

 

Our lives are the only offering we can truly give back to God by…

…the way we love God and others,

…the things we do daily,

…the condition of our heart seeking and pleasing God.

 

Spending an hour with my college son having lunch was a bonus, even if he did not remember it was my birthday.  His mind was on sharing God moments with me, like staying up until 5 a.m. that morning, sharing the Lord with some students.

 

 

 

Stopping by a little waterfall after my time with my son was an added encounter with the Lord.  God’s masterpieces in all of creation are surrounding us, showing us the great love God has for us.

 

Holley Canal Falls    Holley, NY

 

An hour flew by as I was soaking up the beauty of this site, listening to the roaring water and thinking about God’s love in our lives, with the sun beating down on me.  The word “cascade” came to my mind as I was observing the beauty before me.  I thought of God’s love and presence cascading over our lives.  I was curious to see if the word cascade was mentioned in the Bible, and if so, what it was in reference to.  Here is what I found in three translations, as noted below.

Let praise cascade off my lips; after all, you’ve taught me the truth about life! And let your promises ring from my tongue; every order you’ve given is right.   –Psalm 119:171-172  (MSG)

May grace and perfect peace cascade over you as you live in the rich knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. Everything we could ever need for life and godliness has already been deposited in us by his divine power…   –2 Peter 1:2-3  (TPT)

From Judah, a loving servant of Jesus, the Anointed One, and brother of James. I’m writing to the chosen ones who are wrapped in the love of Father God—kept and guarded for Jesus, the Messiah. May God’s mercy, peace, and love cascade over you!  –Jude 1:1-2  (TPT)

 

What do we learn from these Bible verses?

…Praise should cascade from our lips, just as the water continually cascades from the waterfall~~God has taught us the truth of life through His word. We can stand on the promises He has given us.

…God’s grace, perfect peace, mercy, and love cascade over our lives~~As we grow more and more in our knowledge of and in relationship with God and Jesus, grace and perfect peace will be the by-products in our lives.  We have all we need through Jesus’ divine power in our lives.  We are God’s chosen ones, who are wrapped in the Father’s love because of Jesus. Interesting how both Peter and Jude note these gifts that cascade over our lives.

 

 

 

There were a few verses mentioning the sound involved with cascading waters:

Then I looked, and there on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with Him were 144,000 who had His name and His Father’s name written on their foreheads. I heard a sound from heaven like the sound of cascading waters and like the rumbling of loud thunder. The sound I heard was also like harpists playing on their harps.   –Revelation 14:1-2  (HCSB)

Then I heard something like the voice of a vast multitude, like the sound of cascading waters, and like the rumbling of loud thunder, saying: Hallelujah, because our Lord God, the Almighty, has begun to reign! Let us be glad, rejoice, and give Him glory, because the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has prepared herself.  She was given fine linen to wear, bright and pure. For the fine linen represents the righteous acts of the saints.  –Revelation 19:6-8  (HCSB)

                                                                           

What do we learn from these Bible verses?

…The sound of cascading waters, as I witnessed at the waterfall, can be heard in the presence of the Lamb of God in heaven. The sound is like the rumbling of loud thunder, yet it is as beautiful as harp music.  What a glorious sound it will be listening to the multitudes of people combining to give all glory and praise to God, and God alone.

 

As time went on, it was perfect to see the sun appear on the waterfall. It reminded me of how the Son shines through in our lives, touching one person after another. We are a reflection of beauty and warmth to one another.  Getting sprinkles of the cascading water on me, though I was far away, was a reminder of the refreshment we have in spreading the Good News of Him daily.

 

 

 

The mighty force of the waters made me think of how God’s presence engulfs and overtakes us.  What joy we experience when we discover Him in our lives. God’s great love and power continually cascade over our lives and us.  Embrace that beauty this week.  God’s love for you is so deep and wide, my dear readers!

 

                   

Looked up to see this cross!                More of God’s beauty and love!

 

Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.  And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.  –Ephesians 3:17-19  (NLT)