Each day, I try to read from my daily devotional Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. I loved everything in the devotional today - so much that I figured I would just post it here: December 26 I am the gift that continuously gives—bounteously, with no strings attached. Unconditional Love is such a radical concept that even My most devoted followers fail to grasp it fully. Absolutely nothing in heaven or on earth can cause Me to stop loving you. You may feel more loved when you are performing according to your expectations. But My Love for you is perfect; therefore it is not subject to variation. What does vary is your awareness of My loving Presence. When you are dissatisfied with your behavior, you tend to feel unworthy of My Love. You may unconsciously punish yourself by withdrawing from Me and attributing the distance between us to My displeasure. Instead of returning to Me and receiving My Love, you attempt to earn My approval by trying harder. All the while, I am aching to hold you in My everlasting arms, to enfold you in My Love. When you are feeling unworthy or unloved, come to Me. Then ask for receptivity to My unfailing Love. Can you believe that? That right there is the concept of grace. Grace is incredible and sometimes so hard to wrap our minds around. Here's another acronym I have come across over the last few years that I loved:
We don't deserve God's grace. But He has given it to us anyway. We cannot do anything to earn His grace. I mean, don't get me wrong, it feels great to do wonderful things in the world - I feel like a "better" person when I am doing good things. But that isn't what gets me grace. We are able to receive God's riches at Christ's expense. He died on the cross for us. We cannot DO anything that would provide us with God's grace that is more meaningful than that.
It can be hard for me to remember that I cannot do anything to earn God's grace. EARN my way to Heaven. But it is also not acceptable to use God's grace as an excuse. Christ died on the cross for us but when we spend time with Him and grow in our relationship with Him, everything He went through is made worth it for Him.
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Writer:Aften - mama, worker, DIYer, and lover of Jesus. Archives
February 2017
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