Things About Me You Need to Know

. . .the story of my life is that I am not that great, not that special, and I have messed up way more than I really would like anyone to know. But today, that's okay because of the fact that God loves me. . .

Secrets, everybody has them. For most of us, we want to make sure those secrets remain secrets. That is unless you are Tony Starke and you are just dying to tell everyone, "I am Iron Man." For everyone else, we like a little mystery about who we are and what we do (or have done). The other night my wife and I left a restaurant and were approached by a young man who was searching for something to eat. The first words out of his mouth were "I just got out of prison and I am starving. . . " We obliged him with some food, but I really wanted to tell him that he may want to change his approach line. Telling someone that you just got out of prison may not be ideal before you ask them for help.

Social media has really enhanced the desire for privacy. While thinking that Facebook and other apps may connect us with more people, it really offers us the chance to hide behind fake pictures, ideas, and life stories. There are so many reasons people shade themselves from who and what they really are. For some, it is to make themselves out to be someone or something they aren't, while for others it is the need to cover over an unfortunate blemish in their past. We don't want people judging us for those indiscretions or momentary failures.

The Psalmist, David, knew about this. He had some collapses of morals and character that would cause many to "unfriend" or at least "unfollow" him. That is why when you read Psalm 107:2 and David writes, "Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story. . .", you have to stop and wonder why would anyone want to know all of the sordid details of his life? But as you unpack the rest of the forty verses David points to what is most important about his life. The story of life is a roller coaster of ups and downs that finds its fullest essence in knowing that the Creator of the Universe, despite all of our many flaws and failures, gives His unfailing, unconditional love to us.

David ends Psalm 107 with a great piece of advice on life. He simply says, "Let the one who is wise heed these things and ponder the loving deeds of the Lord." (Psalm 107:42 NIV). God sees the real you and me and still loves us with an unfailing love. What do you need to know about me? Well, the story of my life is that I am not that great, not that special, and I have messed up way more than I really would like anyone to know. But today, that's okay because of the fact that God loves me with a love that doesn't depend on my abilities, talents or looks. God loves me in spite of who I am or what I have done, and if you don't know He loves you that way too.

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