We
often think that we must perfect our self prior to coming to Christ, or in
order to win His favor and deserve His love and acceptance. Nothing is further
from the truth. God loved us while we were still sinners, and sent Jesus to die
in our place (Romans 5:8).
We
cannot be good enough, holy enough or spiritual enough to deserve God’s
salvation (Isaiah 64:6). Our works and our human effort will not provide us
with salvation or sanctification (Titus 3:4-6; Ephesians 2:8-10). They are free
gifts from our Father God who loves us (Romans 2:23).
We
already have God's love, which does not depend on our behavior; otherwise, we
would have no need for Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. We simply walk in
obedience to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Since
we are Born Again by trusting in Jesus, we are also sanctified by the activity
of God's Spirit, giving us the desire and the power to work out our salvation
(Philippians 2:12-13). Imposed rules and regulations by well-meaning spiritual
leaders do not guarantee our spiritual maturity.
God's
Spirit progressively deepens our intimate acquaintance with God from one stage
of glory to the next (2 Corinthians 3:18; Philippians 3:10). There is no
striving on our part in this transformation, it is all the work of God's Spirit
within us (Galatians 3:1-3).
We
enter God's rest and cease from our own labors as God did from His on the
seventh day. We make every effort to cooperate with the Holy Spirit, and we
find eternal rest for our soul (Hebrews 4:9-12).
Prayer:
Father
God, Jesus completed the work of our perfection on the cross. Remind us that we
only need to allow You to help us to make a conscious effort to walk in
obedience to Your will, regardless of the circumstances around us. The focus of
our purpose in life is to follow hard after You, to drink in Your presence as a
hart who seeks the waterbrook, and to enter into an intimate relationship with You
- the Lover of our soul.
Whom
do we have in heaven, but You? And besides You, we desire nothing else on this
earth. Our flesh and our heart may fail, but You are the strength of our heart
and our portion forever (Psalm 73:25-26). You will make known to us our path in
life, and in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are
pleasures forever (Psalm 16:11).
Thought
for the Day
God
gives us His unconditional love freely as a gift when we open our heart wide
and receive it; as we realize the truth of this concept, we will sit in our
quiet place and feel His love cascading over us like a waterfall, which is better
than anything this life has to offer to us.
-
Psalm 63:2-3
