I used to love playing out in the woods when I was younger.  My friends and I would head out into the woods for all kinds of adventures.  We once built a dam to block the creek in a bend and ending up building it high enough to have a six foot deep swimming pool.  We had a big time jumping in and cannon balling, until we saw a snake swim across our pool.  All of a sudden, no one wanted to swim anymore!  My fried Dennis said:  “You jump in – it’s no big deal!”  I said:  “If it’s no big deal, then you jump in!”  We finally convinced his little brother to go for it and our swimming resumed!

I remember once we discovered a vine that hung over a valley.  We could run off of the edge of a cliff, grab the vine and swing like Tarzan.  It was a lot of fun until part of the vine broke and then it became a bit more of a risk.  Your jump had to be longer and your grip stronger or you were going for a rough tumble.  Everyone wanted to do it and no one was willing to do it.  We were all capable.  If one of us would just take the jump and grab.  I decided to go for it!  I took several steps back, bent down and blasted off with all of my strength.  I went off of the edge of the cliff and flying into the air, my hands made perfect contact with the vine and for just a moment I felt like I was Superman!

I jumped that day because my friends were there with me and I knew that they had my back.  If anything happened, they would go running to get my MOMMA and my MOMMA would make everything alright.  Dennis’ little brother jumped in the water that day, because he knew that we had his back.  If anything happened, we would go running to get his Momma and his Momma would make everything alright!

God has some amazing things in store for you.  It may be a little scary standing there on the edge, but know this:  God and the people that He has placed around you – have your back!  The Bible says in Romans 8:28  “All things work together  for good for those who love God and who are called according to His purpose.”   What is it that God is calling you to do?  How can you live your life and fulfill His calling?  You are not by yourself and you are not alone!  God loves you and has an amazing plan for your life.  It does not matter what mistakes you have made or how bad it might all be messed up.  Love and trust God and allow the friends that He has put around you to help you to succeed!

Yesterday, we took a look at the “Family Tree” of Jesus found in Matthew 1:1-17!  In this family tree, we discover that Jesus had a rather scandalous group of ancestors.  It is a very amazing and beautiful thing that God would allow all of these ordinary and messed up people to be a part of His Grand Plan Of Salvation.

One of the people that we talked about yesterday was King David.  We read about David in I & II Samuel.  David is one of my favorite people to read about in the Bible, because he was so normal!  He was just an ordinary shepherd boy that God used in a mighty way to defeat a giant!  He did some great things and made some huge mistakes!  David had a regular line of successes and screw-ups!

The thing that made David special was the fact that he had a heart for God!  He was not some religious “goody goody.”  He was just a normal guy, that believed in God and loved having a relationship with Him.  David reminds me that God loves me – no matter what!  He loves me when I succeed and He loves me when I fail.  God’s love for me is not based in my successes or failures!  God’s love is a free and amazing gift and this amazing love motivates me to want to live for Him!

Take some time today to think about how much God loves you and don’t buy into the lie that God’s love is something that you have to earn.  Just accept it and enjoy it and live in the power of all that His love brings to you!