Too many of us live as if we are still imprisoned by our sin, sorrow and struggles with no way out of the cell that confines us. Too often we let regrets from the past, imperfections in the present and fears of the future enslave us as if we are helpless and hopeless to do anything about them. Too soon we give up and give in when victory has already been secured and is almost ready to be seen. Jesus has made amends for our past, makes provision for our present and will make a way for our future until we have been fully delivered from all fears, foes and faults. Follow Jesus right out of that cell today. You have been set free.
We Did It, But Jesus Died For It
An incredible burden is lifted when we rest in the forgiveness that is ours in Jesus. We can apologize for our shortcomings and admit our wrongdoings because His grace covers them all. Every wrong thought. Every wrong attitude. Every wrong motive. Every wrong word. Every wrong action. We’re not perfect, and we don’t have to pretend to be. Yes, we strive by grace to grow into the new people Jesus is remaking us into, but we don’t have to fake it, hide it or rationalize it when we fail. We can own it because of this glorious truth: it is forgiven. Move on from sin and shame… We did it, but Jesus died for it.
Instead Of Condemning Others
When we remember and rejoice in Jesus’ removal of our own condemnation, we will stop condemning the people around us. For those of us who have received His priceless gift of salvation, there is no condemnation for our sins, though we were rightly deserving of that condemnation. By the lavish grace of God, we are pardoned. Guilty, yet set free. Flawed, yet forgiven. Outsiders, yet welcomed in. Enemies, yet made family. Deserving of hell, yet shown mercy. Wages of death earned, yet eternal life freely given. Instead of condemning others, let us point them to the fountain of grace we ourselves are drinking from.
His Main Concern Is Your Soul
No one wants you to be happy more than Jesus does. No one will make you happy more than Jesus can. But Jesus isn’t primarily aiming at making you happy by getting you past a bad time or helping you have a good time. His goal isn’t a happier you because He worked it out so you got the new job, got over the breakup, got through the illness, got to take a vacation or got the result you wanted. Those may be part of His blessings to you, but His main concern is your soul. He is after your happiness in being forgiven and free from the devastating consequences of your sin so you can know every pleasure of knowing God.
He Knows Everything
It should make us bow in awe knowing that God knows everything. Just thinking about the scope and span of His knowledge is mind-boggling to me, and yet knowing everything that has happened, is happening, will happen and could happen doesn’t boggle His mind at all. He doesn’t need research. He doesn’t need reminding. He doesn’t need rest. How amazing He is! How amazing too that He knows all our sinful actions, words, thoughts, feelings and attitudes, and He loves us anyway. Let us praise the all-knowing One, for He showed His love on the cross to cleanse our sin so we can now know Him.
Pardon For Sin And Power Not To Sin
God loves us, but He doesn’t approve of everything we think, say and do. God took our sin seriously enough to put His Son Jesus to death in our place; we should take our sin seriously by fighting against it instead of trivializing it, rationalizing it or fraternizing with it. Let us feel godly sorrow for our sin, but may that conviction give way to celebration of the forgiveness and freedom that is ours because of Jesus. Grace means there is pardon for our sin and power not to sin. We fight against it, we fail in the battle, we fall into mercy, we fight on, we finish. For those who are trusting in Jesus… Grace always wins in the end.
His Fountain Of Forgiveness
No matter how much we grow to look like Jesus, there will be countless times when we don’t look much like Him at all. Because Jesus never sinned, and we often will. The natural response for us when we think wrong things, say wrong things and do wrong things is to hide. Hide the truth. Hide our responsibility. Hide from God. But because God is gracious, we don’t have to do any of these things. When we sincerely repent, He is faithful to extend grace. Every. Single. Time. He isn’t reluctant. He doesn’t have a shortage. He won’t turn you away. Run to God with joy knowing this… His fountain of forgiveness will never run dry.
He’s Happy With His Choice
God didn’t reluctantly choose you because there was an empty space in His family tree, and He was down to His last option in you. He readily chose you because that spot in His family was reserved especially for you. He doesn’t regret it for a moment, even in those moments when you feel like He does because you have fallen short and failed Him. Because of the moment you put your faith in Jesus… He delights in you. He rejoices over you. He is pleased with you. Whether you stand by His grace and get it right, or fall into His mercy when you get it wrong, you were chosen by God. And He’s happy with His choice.
Death Is The Door To Life
It’s incredible. It’s inevitable. It’s irreversible. Life after death is coming for every person who has saving faith in Jesus. Jesus decisively defeated our enemy, our sin and our unbelief through His perfect life, His atoning death, His victorious resurrection and His effectual call upon our lives. In doing so, God removed everything standing in our way from fullness of joy and pleasure forevermore in His presence in heaven. Because of this, we do not need to fear death for we know what awaits on the other side. Take heart! For Christians, death is the door to life, and Jesus has left it unlocked for each of us to enter in.
Repayment For Evils Done
When others wrong us, repaying evil for evil is never the right answer, solution or response. We are commanded to release our instinct for revenge and let God judge, punish and make all things right in His timing and in His way. God will repay, either by accepting the payment made by Jesus on the cross should the evildoers repent and receive His grace, or by making them pay in hell if they do not. Therefore, let us overcome evil with good and leave it to God to do the work He means to do in their lives. We best model the grace of Jesus when we show it most to those who deserve it the least.
