“Let
us strip off anything that slows us down or holds us back, and especially those
sins that wrap themselves so tightly around our feet and trip us up; and let us
run with patience the particular race that God has set before us. Keep your eyes on Jesus, our leader and
instructor. “Hebrews 12:1-2
The gift of God is free and readily available to everyone; yet, many resist God’s special offer. Some doubt God’s existence. Others refuse to give control of their life to someone else. A few feel that they do not deserve God’s unconditional love. Several want to hang on to their sinful pleasures a little while longer.
The gift of God is free and readily available to everyone; yet, many resist God’s special offer. Some doubt God’s existence. Others refuse to give control of their life to someone else. A few feel that they do not deserve God’s unconditional love. Several want to hang on to their sinful pleasures a little while longer.
We
do not have to be good enough to deserve His love. God’s love is a free gift.
His only requirement is that we receive it. We do not need to spend time or
energy on trying to overcome the flesh nor on trying to earn God’s love. The
only striving that we are commanded to do in the Bible is to enter his narrow
gate through the means of Salvation, and then to enter into His rest (Hebrews
4:9-12).
Jesus
completed the work of our perfection on the cross. In Hebrews 12:2 Paul
suggests that we focus on Jesus and follow His example. Jesus kept His focus on
eternal matters, and the earthly matters fell in line. As we simplify our lives
at the same time that we abide in His presence, we become fully and calmly
aware of God’s presence within us. Rather than working for God, we allow Him to
work in and through us.
Jesus Christ came and lived a sinless life as our example. He daily aligned His actions with His Father’s. He died for our forgiveness and gave us eternal life in exchange. I encourage you to examine what is keeping you from accepting His gift. Please, do not let another day go by without receiving it.
Prayer:
Lord, make me a vessel of
Your love and fill me until I overflow on all of those around me. Help me to be
an example of Your love and grace to others in my life. Let them see Your light
in me and glorify You for what you do in my life. Thought for the Day:
If we humbly recognize our need and receive His gift of salvation in the quiet of our heart, we are guaranteed a place in His Kingdom now and forever.
(Thank you Katharine Henderson Evans for use of your photo.)
