Resting in God's love and on His shoulders

Resting in God's love and on His shoulders

Kathleen Maxwell-Rambie

copyright 2016

You are never a failure unless you fail to see God’s love for you.   Living in the Bible Belt, we frequently hear “God loves you.”  I encounter many people, that don’t  live like they believe it. I must confess I’ve lived most of my life as a Christian and did not really believe in my heart the fact that God really loved me dearly.

 I will never forget the evening about twenty years ago, my late husband and I finished leading a bible study on trusting God. In our study that statement was made that a person could not really trust God fully if they did not really believe He loved them.  I broke down and confessed to my husband and another couple, that I struggled with trusting God and really believing He loved me. I had plenty of head knowledge but needed that moved to my heart.  It was a humbling moment for me as a Bible study teacher to confess that but it was true. My problem was that I looked at my circumstances and things I had been through and had doubted God’s love. My confession and honesty opened the door for God to erase those doubts forever.

I asked God for a revelation of His love.  In His kindness, God began to open my eyes to His love for me step by step. I know He loved the day I offered up that prayer and my journey began in experiencing God’s love.

 In February of that year, I was coaching gymnastics and one of my students brought me a valentine that had a scripture on it.  I knew God was speaking through that little girl’s gift.  The scripture was  Jeremiah 31:3 which says, “I have love you with an everlasting love.  I have drawn you with loving-kindness.”   It quickly became a treasured scripture because it  is a constant reminder that God’s love is unending for me.  His love will never cease. Everlasting means now and always.  I also love it because it also shows me that God tenderly is drawing me to himself.  His kindness is birthed out of a heart of love for me.

Not long after, God took me to a scripture found in Deuteronomy 33:12.  It says, “Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between his shoulders.” I remember when I was little and sat on my dad’s shoulders. I felt on top of the world because I was suddenly bigger than everything. I felt special. Things that once looked big to me suddenly were not that big. When we have an understanding that God really loves us and is for us, we can rest in the middle of any storm in life. It is easy to focus on the storm or the problem but when I focus on the fact that I am dearly loved, His beloved, His love acts as my life jacket. It helps me ride the waves.  God’s heart is for His kids to rest and know they are loved.  When we climb up on His shoulders, resting in His love, then we can see our lives from His perspective.  God’s viewpoint is always better than mine.  He issues us an invitation to rest and come up higher.  

Taylor and his brother

About 10 years ago, I was taking my nephew, Taylor, out for a special fun day. My sister and her husband waited a long time for Taylor and he was not only very special to them but to me. He is a child that wakes up each day full of energy and excitement. Each day he is ready to enjoy and conquer life. 
Taylor was in the back seat of the jeep and was singing and enjoying his day with Aunt Kathleen. As we drove, I felt the Holy Spirit invade the jeep and I began to weep. I felt God speak that Taylor was free to enjoy each day because he knew he was dearly loved by his parents as well as me. Taylor knows we will take care of everything that concerns him, protect him and he knows that we enjoy him as a person. Then I felt God say, “Kathleen, I want you to live as My much loved child.” I have felt so much more freedom from stress and anxiety as I have been learning to live as a much loved child. When we really believe God is a loving father and will take care of everything that concerns us, we are free to enjoy every situation we encounter. I am learning that when I am stressed or anxious, I just need a greater revelation of His love for me.

 I John 4:18 says, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” Who am I? I am a much loved child of God. Who are you? YOU ARE A MUCH LOVED AND WANTED CHILD of God and you are never a failure unless you fail to see God’s love for you.

Kathleen Maxwell-Rambie is a native to the Texas Hill Country, a writer and speaker. She is passionate about helping people discover their value and worth and God’s love, You can reach her at kathleenmaxwell1@gmail.com or visit her blog at www.themaxwellminutes.blogspot.com