All in Grace
Are you dying because of the sin in your life? Perhaps you say no, but do you say this too quickly, having become so accustomed to the subtle sins that you hardly notice them? Our bold sins make an impression on us, and frighten us, but the tiny sins often pass by unnoticed, and yet kill our faith none the less... dragging our faithfulness down like exhaustion drowns a swimmer; slowly draining him of energy until at last his head slips beneath the water.
We must face tribulation on our journey towards the kingdom of God. Some who begin their walk Of faith seem to believe that by following Jesus they will not face hardship or suffering yet that is not the case. What is true is that Jesus will be right there with us in the midst of our tribulation, and that the promise of heaven remains our solid promise, and that the joy of God shines before us in the form of Jesus as a continuous reminder.
How often have you disobeyed God, and had calamity fall upon you? When this occurred, what did you do? How did you realign yourself with God, and experience His forgiveness and salvation? What did you promise the Lord in prayer to gain his deliverance from your time of suffering?
Is your life full of hardship and adversity right now? Are you going through the gates of sorrow, or crossing a desert in which you are feeling lost and parched? Perhaps it is illness, mourning, or some other wrenching moment! If so, then are you tempted to lash out at God and ask Him why, or to look for Jesus and cry out “Where Are You?” Sometimes we feel like we are being punished when nothing could be further from the truth.
It has often been said, and it is true, that we come closest to God when we are in the midst of our suffering... so, how is your life at this moment? Are things going exceptionally well for you? Is your day to day life bountiful, and you find yourself struggling with little to pray for? Perhaps it is time for a good cry! Maybe the tears and sweat of your prayers need to be fed by an emotional response to something dear to you... love is a great example. There is no cry so satisfying in its release and restoration than that of a broken heart.
We concentrate on all the things we give up to become righteous, and wallow in statements of sacrifice, but by doing so it is like reading the story of Pinocchio, and never acknowledging that in the end he became a real boy. In pursuing our faith so many of us attempt to eternally strap ourselves to the disappointment in our fallen lives, and miss the amazing and glorious ending that has been won for us by grace through Jesus. Who are you, the sad wooden puppet, or the vibrant and joyful boy?
Do you feel like the grace you have received from Jesus Christ is enough? Are you satisfied with it, and willing to sit where you are and grow no further in it because you feel it is complete in you? If this is the case then open your eyes because that is not a scriptural truth... we are told to seek and grow in the grace of Jesus every day.
Concerning your salvation, are you meeting God half way? He has sent His Son Jesus Christ to suffer and die for you, thus securing your redemption, but do you come to Him? In what condition is your faith today, and are you honoring Jesus? In as much as God has, and is, doing His part in repairing the relationship that was broken by Adam.. we must do ours. We must guard our gift of grace with our faith. This is our agreement in the contract which binds the relationship, and eternal promise we have made with God. This is our marriage covenant with Christ.
The rift that was formed between God, and man when Adam and Eve ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil has been closed for us. Jesus gave himself in sacrifice to make that happen. What an incredible gift of grace we have received, a gift of forgiveness, and yet we are like a children who have been given a gift but refuses to play with it because we can’t believe it is ours. It is time that we opened the present which has been handed to us, and thrill at its contents.
Do you count yourself as insufficient when it comes to saving the many? When God asks you to accomplish something huge do you answer back “I can’t Father! I am just one man!” Is this your justification for disobedience? Well, that used to be my excuse, but this morning I read Romans 5:12-21 and it convicted me, but I will never again say “But Father I am just one man!” I will be obedient in the face of the great challenges He sets before me.
When we look around the world today we see such an overwhelming mess; killing, hatred, carnal sins of every description... the list seems to have no end, and it’s depth is bottomless. Becoming overwhelmed by Satan’s handiwork is easy, and letting it make us despondent, or allowing ourselves to be caught up in it can be equally easy. Is this world too big for God’s love and forgiveness? Is what we see too much for Jesus to carry onto the cross?
Do you feel like you aren’t working hard enough at becoming holy? Do you believe that by your efforts you can become sanctified? Well as much as we might like to think this is possible, it is not. If we depend solely on our own efforts to win holiness then we are certainly lost. So let’s look at how sanctification is possible. How am I ever to become Holy?
Have you ever been to heaven? Perhaps you don’t feel that you have walked it’s streets, but have you ever stood on an adjoining hill and looked out over it, and heard the sounds of life there? Right now you are probably thinking that I have lost my mind, but more than likely you have been closer than you think, and in some moments of realized faith, actually stood there. The problem with most of us is that we don’t look around, hear the singing, smell the fragrance, and understand where we are.
Do you boast in your accomplishments in faith? Do you think yourself better than another because you quote more scripture, appear more saintly, or are of greater righteousness than another? Well if you are any of these things it is not of your doing, and if you feel boastful it is to your detriment because these things are in you as a result of our God, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus Christ alone.
I read this week about realizing the depth of our sins, but it took a different view of them, and turned the depravity of our wrongdoing from the heartbreak of remorse into the amazing heights to which they are raised by our forgiveness. This author encouraged those with the darkest of sins to confess them, repent from them, and ask the Lord for forgiveness because the love they would feel between themselves and God at the moment of their relief would be amazingly great.