I've been reading this book my sister got me for Christmas last year, titled Walking with God by John Eldridge. The book is full of lessons he learned from God about walking with Him.
One thing he mentions is asking God what He would want us to read in His Word
and as he says to ask and then do something he calls trying it on,
like "God what would You have me read today? God do You want me to read_name of book_? and whatever comes to mind you go there, you do the same for chapter and verse as well. I have randomly flipped my Bible open and prayed that God would show me what He wanted me to read, but I never asked Him what to read, and I do still go through books of the Bible as well. Anyway after reading a section in the book my sister got me I decided to "try it on" and of all the places in the Bible it was Revelation 3 that I needed to read..
7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write,
‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”:[c] 8 “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it;[d] for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. 9 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. Revelation 3:7-9
‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”:[c] 8 “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it;[d] for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. 9 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. Revelation 3:7-9
The first two verses I thought were fitting to my finding a job after school, He has a way for me and has a plan even if I don't see what it is. “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”:
Goes on to verse 8, you have little strength...that's how I felt for a LONG time in college, I feel as though I'm worn out, I'm tired, He also knows my works and whether or not I have kept His word
and lastly the thing I can't seem to forget
"I have loved you" This speaks to me so much the "I" makes it very personal, and "have" being passed tense means even when I haven't loved myself, or when I thought I was alone He has loved me, which at this moment becomes in my mind more beautiful than the first part of John 3:16 which mentions God in third person, "For God so loved the world..." "I have loved you."
Every time I think of this Love, it stirs my soul.
