“Jesus treated us much better than we deserve.
He made us acceptable to God
and gave us the hope of eternal life”
(Titus 3:7 CEV)
Reflection:
A sense of identity is an important part of our lives. We need to sense that we belong, that we are of some significance and that there is a value attached to us.
So often it seems as if that is dependent upon birth, social status, appearance, wealth and achievement. But the world is filled with people who will enjoy very little of these things – and the world very easily looks over and beyond them, failing to notice or to care or to recognise them. Inside so many people – at all levels of society – there is a little voice that says, “What about me?”
Through Jesus Christ God show us that significance in His sight is not dependent upon the things of the world. It asks of us only that we believe and trust in His Son.
- “Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent” (John 6:29))
If we do this, accepting Him as our Lord and Saviour, then we become a person of great significance in His sight – no matter what the world’s opinion might be. For we become completely acceptable to God.
- “He made us acceptable to God and gave us the hope of eternal life”
We do not and cannot earn it. We can only believe it and receive it as God’s great gift of love and grace bestowed upon us as we believe – no matter how small our initial belief might turn out to have been.
If you believe in Jesus Christ then you are completely acceptable to God. It does not mean that everything that you do meets with His approval but that is a different issue. As we believe in our acceptance the Spirit of God within us will begin to guide and lead us into a more suitable way of life. It will take time but that is not an issue. And those things that are not of God will be covered by His forgiveness as we will see later in the week.
The first step is to believe that in Christ ‘I am completely acceptable to God.’
Response:
Ask the Lord to help you to believe – and to witness to your spirit the liberating truth of your acceptance.
Prayer:
Lord I believe – help my unbelief – I put my trust in Your Son the Living Word and in the words of Your scriptures. Amen.
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The Soaring Eagle 