Do you ever have those moments when you hear God speaking something to you or showing you a certain vision, only to actually read it in the Bible months, weeks, or days later? I sure do, and I am so grateful for them.
A few days ago, I was getting ready in the morning and wrestling with some thoughts, thoughts that I'm sure have crept in many of your minds as well. Has my past really left me? Will people really accept and love me for despite words and actions I may regret? OH and especially whoever I marry, will they want to dig into that hot mess? Those thoughts were beginning to weigh on me until God's voice broke through like light clearing the fog. I heard Him say, "I made a way so that your past never has to be resurrected." Shew, really Lord? Yes, really beloved. The resurrection of Jesus Christ TOOK THE PLACE OF the resurrection of our past. Christ rose so that our past could forever remain buried. Grace has the power to release the fear that we won't ever be good enough for something or someone. Aren't you glad we don't have to strive to achieve such a false status? Being "good enough" has never been nor will be our calling. But by His blood and faithfulness, we are made righteous. We were given peace with God and a genuine opportunity to be His friend, His lover, His son/daughter, an heir to His kingdom, etc. In Him, the old things are GONE, and the new is here! How could news get any better?
As I'm sitting here now, the kindness of God is just hitting me. I know I've definitely had moments in my life where I knew good and well my actions or words were hurting my Father, but I cared more about my own feelings/desires at the time. Holy Spirit would gently nudge me to choose differently, but I was stubborn and terribly selfish. Once the consequences and the heart aches came, God could have easily looked at me and said "I tried to tell you" or "Well, that's what you get." But that's not His nature. When our flesh tells us to turn away from those who hurt us, God's love actually chooses to draw even closer. He doesn't withhold discipline, but He doesn't withhold His kindness either. He continues to intercede on our behalf. He is slow to anger, quick to forgive, and faithful to comfort. He's a kind Father, and that's what leads us to repentance.
Everything He has been speaking to my heart lately can be summed up in what I just opened my Bible to. God's so cool :)
Titus 3:3-7
"For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life."
Ahhh, this just stirs my heart like a bowl full of honey. Sweet to my soul, healthy to my body.
