God's Grace IS Enough - An Unconditional Love
Has there ever been a time in your life, when you really questioned God? Is he real? If he is, does he really care about you? Is he good? Can he really save you after all you have done wrong? Am I to far down the wrong path?
These are very common questions people ask. In fact, the above list are all examples of questions I have wrestled with at different points in my life. There have been times when I wondered if God really existed. There are times when I have believed that God existed, but he was out to get me. He didn't really want what was best for me. There have also been times when I have wondered, can God really save me? I have done so many things wrong. How can God really love me, after all I have done?
The last question especially, hit me right down to the core. How can God really love me, after all I have done? When I try to think through this question logically, I can't ever make sense of it. I look back on my life, and I see so much sin. I think of all the people I have hurt, the tears I have caused, the relationships I have damaged, and the people I have let down. There are places I have been, that I wish I never went to. There are things that I have done I wish I never did. There are words I have spoken, I wish I never said.
The times when it hits hardest are the temptations I face on a regular basis. The habitual temptations that can be easy to trip me up. When I remember these moments, there is an overwhelming since of sadness and shame. There is a sadness, because I continue choosing what I know I shouldn't. There is shame because I know that I am being disobedient. Paul talks about this struggle in Romans 7:15 saying, "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do."
There are times in my life, when I know what the right thing to do is, yet I choose not to do it. In those moments, the shame can be overwhelming. I begin to question if God really loves me. My self-talk comes begins saying, "you aren't good enough." "You are unlovable." "God doesn't really love you now." Satan capitalizes on that. He makes sure I don't forget that I messed up. I sinned. I rebelled against God.
This self-talk could not be further from the truth. In fact, Romans 5:8 says, "God demonstrated his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." God didn't just say he loves us, he showed us he loves us. He didn't just show us he loves us when we obeyed him, but even in the middle of our sin, he showed his love for us.
I think of David, the "man after God's own heart". He was beloved by God. Yet even the man after God's own heart fell short of God's glory. He became a liar, an adulterer and a murderer all in a short period of time. God never stopped loving David.
God didn't just love those who had power and who were already closest to him like David. He loved those who were considered the lowest of the low. In John 8, the Pharisees brought down a prostitute who was about to be stoned. Jesus told the Pharisees, "whoever is without sin, throw the first stone." After a little bit, all of the Pharisees left. Jesus looks up and sees only the prostitute. Jesus had every right to throw the first stone. He had every right to condemn her. He truly was without sin. Yet he responds to her saying, "...neither do I condemn you...go and leave your life of sin."
I can imagine the shame David must have felt as Nathan (a prophet) exposed him for his adulterous and murderous acts. I can imagine the shame the prostitute may have felt as she stood before the religious leaders, about to be killed for her actions.
Yet, God's grace truly was enough for David. God's grace truly was enough for the prostitute. Never once did Jesus stop loving either of them. Never once did Jesus stop loving me.
The best way I can think to understand this is looking at the relationship between a parent and child. If you are a parent, I'm sure you can relate. I remember when I was in elementary school, there was one day specifically, my mom told me to wear my jacket outside at recess. A couple of my friends decided they didn't need to wear their jackets outside, so I didn't either. My mom showed up at the school during our recess, and saw me. She came over and made me get my jacket on. And what do you know, I got a cold that night. Even though my mom wasn't happy about the fact that I disobeyed her. Even though she knew exactly why I had a cold, I knew that she never stopped loving me. In the same way, even while we disobey our Heavenly Father, he never stops loving us, no matter how serious or trivial the matter.
The amazing thing about God's love is that it truly is unconditional. It was unconditional for the Israelites in the wilderness. It was unconditional for Peter when he denied Jesus, after Jesus was arrested. It is unconditional for us, as we foolishly try to run our own lives, with our own set of rules.
God wants us to accept his grace. He wants us to accept the fact that we are forgiven (Forgiven - Crowder). He wants us to turn from our sin, just as he instructed the prostitute. 2 Peter 3:9 says, "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone come to repentance.
I truly hope and pray that everyone who reads this believes you are truly loved by God. I hope this truth will drive you not towards shame and discouragement, but towards a humble, gracious and repenting heart. I hope you are able to accept the love God has for you.
"...If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own son, but gave him up for us all...Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?...For I am convinced that neither life nor death, nor angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:31-39
These are very common questions people ask. In fact, the above list are all examples of questions I have wrestled with at different points in my life. There have been times when I wondered if God really existed. There are times when I have believed that God existed, but he was out to get me. He didn't really want what was best for me. There have also been times when I have wondered, can God really save me? I have done so many things wrong. How can God really love me, after all I have done?
The last question especially, hit me right down to the core. How can God really love me, after all I have done? When I try to think through this question logically, I can't ever make sense of it. I look back on my life, and I see so much sin. I think of all the people I have hurt, the tears I have caused, the relationships I have damaged, and the people I have let down. There are places I have been, that I wish I never went to. There are things that I have done I wish I never did. There are words I have spoken, I wish I never said.
The times when it hits hardest are the temptations I face on a regular basis. The habitual temptations that can be easy to trip me up. When I remember these moments, there is an overwhelming since of sadness and shame. There is a sadness, because I continue choosing what I know I shouldn't. There is shame because I know that I am being disobedient. Paul talks about this struggle in Romans 7:15 saying, "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do."
There are times in my life, when I know what the right thing to do is, yet I choose not to do it. In those moments, the shame can be overwhelming. I begin to question if God really loves me. My self-talk comes begins saying, "you aren't good enough." "You are unlovable." "God doesn't really love you now." Satan capitalizes on that. He makes sure I don't forget that I messed up. I sinned. I rebelled against God.
This self-talk could not be further from the truth. In fact, Romans 5:8 says, "God demonstrated his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." God didn't just say he loves us, he showed us he loves us. He didn't just show us he loves us when we obeyed him, but even in the middle of our sin, he showed his love for us.
I think of David, the "man after God's own heart". He was beloved by God. Yet even the man after God's own heart fell short of God's glory. He became a liar, an adulterer and a murderer all in a short period of time. God never stopped loving David.
God didn't just love those who had power and who were already closest to him like David. He loved those who were considered the lowest of the low. In John 8, the Pharisees brought down a prostitute who was about to be stoned. Jesus told the Pharisees, "whoever is without sin, throw the first stone." After a little bit, all of the Pharisees left. Jesus looks up and sees only the prostitute. Jesus had every right to throw the first stone. He had every right to condemn her. He truly was without sin. Yet he responds to her saying, "...neither do I condemn you...go and leave your life of sin."
I can imagine the shame David must have felt as Nathan (a prophet) exposed him for his adulterous and murderous acts. I can imagine the shame the prostitute may have felt as she stood before the religious leaders, about to be killed for her actions.
Yet, God's grace truly was enough for David. God's grace truly was enough for the prostitute. Never once did Jesus stop loving either of them. Never once did Jesus stop loving me.
The best way I can think to understand this is looking at the relationship between a parent and child. If you are a parent, I'm sure you can relate. I remember when I was in elementary school, there was one day specifically, my mom told me to wear my jacket outside at recess. A couple of my friends decided they didn't need to wear their jackets outside, so I didn't either. My mom showed up at the school during our recess, and saw me. She came over and made me get my jacket on. And what do you know, I got a cold that night. Even though my mom wasn't happy about the fact that I disobeyed her. Even though she knew exactly why I had a cold, I knew that she never stopped loving me. In the same way, even while we disobey our Heavenly Father, he never stops loving us, no matter how serious or trivial the matter.
The amazing thing about God's love is that it truly is unconditional. It was unconditional for the Israelites in the wilderness. It was unconditional for Peter when he denied Jesus, after Jesus was arrested. It is unconditional for us, as we foolishly try to run our own lives, with our own set of rules.
God wants us to accept his grace. He wants us to accept the fact that we are forgiven (Forgiven - Crowder). He wants us to turn from our sin, just as he instructed the prostitute. 2 Peter 3:9 says, "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone come to repentance.
I truly hope and pray that everyone who reads this believes you are truly loved by God. I hope this truth will drive you not towards shame and discouragement, but towards a humble, gracious and repenting heart. I hope you are able to accept the love God has for you.
"...If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own son, but gave him up for us all...Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?...For I am convinced that neither life nor death, nor angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:31-39
Comments
Post a Comment