There is much I love about my heavenly Father. One thing is this: He doesn’t just let me do anything I want to do. He knows that there are many things I want to do which are not good for me or for other people. So, instead of letting me live selfishly, He removes some things from me in order to replace them with better things. His plans for my plans. His ways for my ways. His outcomes for my outcomes. The result isn’t that I experience less, but that I experience more. More peace. More joy. More hope. More purpose. Remember, when God says “No,” to something, He is saying “Yes” to something better.
What We Hear, What God Says
We often hear one thing when God is saying another thing. We hear, “You can’t do that or have that or be that.” God is saying, “That is not good for you.” We hear, “You must do this or have this or be this.” God is saying, “This is good for you.” What we interpret as a restrictive rule, God intends to be a gracious guardrail. While we may think His commands are something that will rob us of joy, He is actually saying them because He knows they will safeguard our joy. Therefore, let us trust Him as we listen to Him. Remember, even when we hear God saying something we don’t like, He is actually saying, “I love you.”
Jesus Is Ready, Willing And Able
We need help every single day to wisely and safely and joyfully and productively keep going in life. And we will have every single day’s worth of help that we need to keep going in life because we have Jesus! He is gracious, so He is ready to help us. He is loving, so He is willing to help us. He is mighty, so He is able to help us. Ready. Willing. Able. His grace means we don’t have to earn His help, His love means we don’t have to pry His help, and His might means we don’t have to doubt His help. Be confident and courageous today knowing that no matter what comes your way, the help of Jesus is on the way.
He Will Help Us Every Moment
Devastating tragedy. Unexpected loss. Agonizing heartache. There is no way to be adequately prepared for sudden suffering when it blindsides us. We don’t see the hardship coming, but we can be sure of this: we will see the grace of God coming. He will not leave us alone to face the trials of this world. We don’t have the answers, but He will give us guidance. We don’t have the will, but He will give us strength. We don’t have optimism, but He will give us hope. We don’t have a lot of things on our own, but we do have Jesus. And He is everything. Take heart in this: He will help us every moment we cannot help ourselves.
God Has Solved It All
Here’s just one of the many things that is so amazing about God’s grace: we would still be walking in darkness if He had not shined His light upon our hearts. We would not have seen our sin for what it is, but even if we did… We would not have cared, but even if we did… We would not have been able to do anything to change. But God has solved all of this. His light exposes our sin, reveals His grace and leads us to faith in Jesus. Whoever follows Him does not live in darkness, but has the transforming light of life. Today, as we walk in the light, let us remember to praise God for drawing us to the Light of the World.
No Matter What Others Say Or Don’t Say
We often place too much value on the value that other people place on us. While it matters what others think of us as it relates to being the hands and feet of Jesus, it doesn’t matter at all what they think of us as it relates to our true worth in the eyes of Jesus. When you are approved by Jesus, you don’t have to be appreciated by everyone else. When you are invited in by Jesus, you don’t have to be included by everyone else. When you are loved by Jesus, you don’t have to be liked by everyone else. No matter what others say or don’t say about you today, remember what really matters: You are precious to God.
God Never Stops Working
He doesn’t take a day off. He doesn’t take a break. He doesn’t take a nap. God never stops working for you and me. 24/7/365/Lifelong. He is continually doing things we cannot do, doing things on our behalf and doing things to ensure that He is honored in us, and we are happy in Him. Tirelessly. Flawlessly. Endlessly. God keeps going to work things out for our good, work to make us more like Jesus, work through us to change the world, and work to get us safely home. What grace! Today, we will not see all that God does for us. But let us never forget the good news that He will never stop doing His good work.
He Delights To Do Good For You
God doesn’t just do good for you; He delights to do good for you. When it comes to blessing you both now and forever, your Heavenly Father is not grumpy or grumbly about it. You will find no hesitance or reluctance in Him as He continuously pours out over your life what He knows is good for you. He… Gladly guides you. Fervently forgives you. Eagerly equips you. Cheerfully comforts you. Readily refreshes you. Willingly welcomes you. Happily helps you. God is not forced to give us benefits and blessings in Christ. Oh that we might see His loving heart behind all He does for us: He doesn’t have to. He wants to.
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.
He Loves You Because You’re His
Striving for self-worth through your own performance will create more unhappiness in you than you ever dreamed possible. Why? Because you will face disappointment in yourself when you don’t perform well, discontentment when others don’t applaud your performance, and depression when you don’t get to perform at all. The good news is this: that’s not where your value comes from at all. You are priceless because of God’s unrelenting love for you in Christ. God doesn’t love you because you’re beautiful, witty, popular, fit, wealthy, fast, intelligent, kind, influential or talented; He loves you because you’re His.
Love Is Not Silent
Love your spiritual siblings. Love your neighbors. Love your enemies. The Bible makes it clear that we are to love other people, but sometimes we are not clear about what it looks like to love other people. One thing we need to understand is this: It is un-loving to be silent. Silent in calling people to repent. Silent in calling people to follow Jesus. Silent in calling people to live abundantly. Love isn’t indifferent to the well-being of others or tolerant of the wrong-doing of others. We are to show up, speak up and stick up for people in ways that invite them in to enjoy the ever-present, everlasting love of God.
Safe And Secure In The Love Of Jesus
People go to great lengths to safeguard their money, health, jobs, computers, phones, homes, families, and minds against dangers that threaten their well-being. They look for security in a variety of places like their bank account balances, home alarm systems and workplace seniority. But all of the security measures people take have one thing in common: they can fail at any time, which means they don’t really offer security at all. Real security is having something which guarantees a good future for you that can never be lost by you or taken from you. And that kind of security is only found in the love of Jesus.
We Are Safe In Jesus
Human effort couldn’t overcome it. Human wisdom couldn’t solve it. Human goodness couldn’t cancel it. But God did something glorious and gracious about our biggest problem: He condemned our sin on the cross so you and I don’t have to be condemned for our sin. For those who are trusting in Jesus, this means we don’t have to live in constant unease that God is going to turn against us or turn us away when we don’t measure up. Our sins, our shortcomings, our struggles and our setbacks have all been dealt with once and for all. We are safe in Jesus. He takes away our sin and makes a way for us to not sin.
Fully Known And Fully Loved
There is not a human being on the face of the earth who fully discloses every thought, feeling, motive, desire, and attitude to others. We hide many of those things within ourselves, hoping that no one ever finds us out, because we fear the ugliness we keep tucked away would drive others away. So, we put on a mask, and we put on a show, make-believing we are something that we are not. But there is Someone Who knows the real you and loves you with a forgiving, lasting, transforming, blessing love. Christian, you are fully known by Jesus and fully loved by Jesus, even with all of your sins and shortcomings.
