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For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39 NKJV
A little over a month ago, Dr. Maya Angelou died. That upset me. Her life and her words affected me as a teenager and to be honest, throughout my life. Her poem, "Phenomenal Woman" helped this teenager through many self-esteem issues. "And Still I Rise" was also one of her poems that helped during college. I had read most of her books in high school, and Dr. Angelou became one of my nurturers.
No, I have never met her. I did not take her class posted online either. At some point in the late 1990s, I read her most inspiring words. It comes from her book, Wouldn't Take Nothing For My Journey Now." I can't tell you that I read the book or saw it in an article, but these words resonated with me.
In my twenties in San Francisco I became a sophisticate and an acting agnostic. It wasn’t that I had stopped believing in God; it’s just that God didn’t seem to be around the neighborhoods I frequented. And then a voice teacher introduced me to Lessons in Truth, published by the United School of Christianity.
One day the teacher, Frederick Wilkerson, asked me to read to him. I was twenty-four, very erudite, very worldly. He asked that I read from Lessons in Truth, a section which ended with these words: “God loves me.” I read the piece and closed the book, and the teacher said, “Read it again.” I pointedly opened the book, and I sarcastically read, “God loves me.” He said, “Again.” After the seventh repetition I began to sense that there might be truth in the statement, that there was a possibility that God really did love me. Me, Maya Angelou. I suddenly began to cry at the grandness of it all. I knew that if God loved me, then I could do wonderful things, learn anything, achieve anything. For what could stand against me with God, since one person, any person with God, constitutes the majority?
That knowledge humbles me, melts my bones, closes my ears, and makes my teeth rock loosely in their gums. And it also liberates me. I am a big bird winging over high mountains, down into serene valleys. I am ripples of waves on silver seas. I’m a spring leaf trembling in anticipation.
I did the same thing. I said "God Loves Me" over and over again until I got it. And when I forgot that undeniable truth, whether it's because I had yet to confess my sins or I let worry, stress or anger, etc., keep me from remembering, I do it again. And I will keep doing it.
If you think of you are unworthy of God's love, think again. He does not stop loving you. God loves you. God loves me. It is such a simple thing, but it trips everyone until they get it. I suggest we do like Dr. Angelou and say it over and over again until we remember it.
How do you remember that God loves you?
Stay Encouraged and Be Blessed!
