As part of our teaching on Sunday (May 4th) Ana Mullen shared four pictures, to help us reflect on how we might learn to experience the Love of God in our daily lives. You might connect or relate to one more than the others or see something of your own experiences in each case. The text below features some of her teaching notes.  

After hearing the invitation in our teaching today, you might be thinking, yes, but how? So, I want to make a few suggestions which might help you move forward into the process of transformation and growing into the wonderful truth that we are loved and accepted by God. Each one of your journeys, though different, are valid and sacred.

1. Perhaps you feel that you know God’s love and acceptance in your head but not in your heart. If this is the case, maybe you can pray over the coming weeks, “Lord, will you give me the grace of knowing (a felt knowledge), your personal love and your personal acceptance in my life”. Something else that may serve you at this point is practicing gratitude, for small and simples things in daily living, as well as the bigger things.

2. Or it might be that you hear voices that condemn you. If so, I want to invite you to spend time with the story about the woman caught in adultery from John 8:1-11. Imagine yourself in the place of the women here in the story, but instead of seeing it as people accusing you, list the accusing thoughts that make you feel unlovable. Look at Jesus face, how does he look at you? What does he say to you? 

3. Maybe your life is busy, you have small children and life is go, go, go. You want to spend time with God and have a deep desire to, but you only have snippets of time here and there. If that’s the case, I want to encourage you to pray with the story of the widow who gave the two small coins from Luke chapter 23:1-4. God works with each reality, if you have a desire to be with him, he can multiply whatever you give him. Give him your two coins and imagine Jesus looking at you, as he was looking at the widow. What does he say to you?

4. And then finally we might find ourselves emotionally exhausted, tired, and not knowing what to say to God. Just be there for him and allow him in the silence to pray over you. Becoming as it says in Jeremiah, a piece of clay that allows itself to be moulded.