Friend, Parent, God

Note:  This word came as I prayed over a particularly grisly section of the Old Testament, one that spoke of how King David dealt with his enemies:

Even the little child of a ruthless dictator is safe beneath her father’s hand, and how much more so a child of the Lord.  For this is what causes concern; you desire signs that the Lord is kind to His enemies because you are not always confident you are His friend.  But you are His friend, more than that, you are His child.  The Almighty God is a terrible enemy, but He is the best parent and advocate in the universe.  He is your friend, your parent, and your God.  You are blessed. 

Grace

Jesus died so that you don’t have to suffer the consequences of your sins.  How irksome for someone who exercises religiously and eats “right” to see you thriving because your life source is firmly planted in your Lord.  As Paul shook the snake off into the fire, as the Israelite boys thrived on vegetables (and no, it wasn’t because those particular vegetables were better for them than the King's food), you can thrive even if you ingest dough conditioners in your bread or artificial food coloring in your M & M's.  This happens because of grace, God's grace, and not by human effort.  When you are weak, you are strong, and thus the vitality of Christians confounds the world’s wisdom.  Christ's life is displayed in your flawed and fallen body so that you participate in His perfection, even here, even now. 

As you love your own children, God loves you.  They certainly do not deserve it by their behaviors, but you are delighted by them because they are yours and because they are beautiful.  You are His, and you are beautiful.  He is delighted by you because you are His own.

Do You Feel You've Missed the Boat??

 What "boat" have you missed?  Is it the vessel labeled “becoming strong  and successful by my own efforts?” Or perhaps the one inscribed, “In my own power, I arose from adversity and became more wonderful than I was before.”  Yes, you have missed those rides because the Lord has placed them out of your reach. 

Here is the boat you are in:  “Sinner Saved by Grace and Heaven Bound.”  You are in good company with your fellow passengers; all who have accepted the free gift of salvation through Christ Jesus are "in the same boat."  

Praise God for His faithfulness!  Praise Him for providing you a way to eternal life!  By the the purification of the Blood of Christ through the Love of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, you have been saved.  Your role is one of acceptance of a gift given you.  You do not have to earn your own way, it has been purchased for you.  Gratitude (as opposed to the restlessness that stems from your need to achieve)  is the appropriate response to this gift of incomparable value.