Today : It’s All About Grace
TODAY’S VERSE
“We know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.” Galatians 2:16
TODAY’S THOUGHT
What happens? When we first become a Christian we revel in His forgiveness. We knew that it only His grace that could ever clean and forgive us from our past sins. And yet as time goes by we get sucked into believing we somehow “earned” His forgiveness. We live as if God’s love was conditional and we were good enough to earn it. Then we begin to feel the pressure to keep us in this “earned salvation” position. So we begin to play a game of hiding our sins, pretending to be “perfect” instead of perfectly forgiven. The authors in the book, “TrueFaced” write, “As we try to hide the sins we can’t control, we are unwittingly inviting blame, shame, denial, fear and anger to become our constant companions. A theology of more right, less wrong behavior creates an environment that gives people permission to wear dozens of disguises and masks. It triggers and complicates the chain reaction of unresolved sin, causing us to lose hope.” This leads to us trying to “please” God and others by trying to be something we aren’t. We play a role of “perfect pleasing Christian” instead of being grateful and trusting God for our full forgiveness. It is our trust in His sacrifice and forgiveness that pleases God, not some sanctimonious pretence of being righteous. It is our trust that in this world God has us in a process of being changed more and more into His likeness. Today, quit performing and trust the love that God has for you. Rejoice that your name is written in the “Lambs Book of Life.”
TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, if you were to judge me according to my sins, I would never be able to sit here, praying in Your presence. Instead You have lavished Your unconditional love upon me. I am forgiven! I am a new creature. I am loved. Thank You for Your grace. Thank You for my new identity in You. In Jesus’ name I pray.
AMEN
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION & MEDITATION
I don’t have to wear a mask with God
See yourself before God. He knows who you are and loves you deeply. You want to pretend, put on a mask, become self righteous, but instead, God assures you that you do not need pretence. Hear Him say, “I know who you are and my grace makes you clean in my sight.” Feel your heart melt, your fear start to dissipate. You affirm, I don’t have to wear a mask with God.”