Accepted In The Beloved (5)
Friday January 8, 2016
Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly. (Matthew 11:28-30 MSG)
This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault. (Colossians 1:21-22 NLT)
What can we do when feelings of inadequacy or self-rejection arise? First, identify them. Then, even as we experience the feelings, perhaps even to the point where they may be overpowering, choose to reject them based on what God says. We replace these thoughts by speaking to God and affirming His truth: “God I thank you I am unconditionally loved. I am completely forgiven. I am totally accepted. I am complete in Christ.” The devil will seek every opportunity to discourage the children of God. We remember that Jesus called him the father of lies so we make every effort to not get caught up in his darkness. Instead, we bring light to the situation by proclaiming the truth of God’s word.
For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12 NKJV)
Jesus was despised and rejected by humans. He had no sin but chose to be sin for us. On the cross He took our sin, our shame, and our feelings of worthlessness and abandonment and through His sacrifice opened a way for us to be in relationship with our Heavenly Father. Through Jesus we truly are “accepted in the beloved”. As accepted ones we can rest in the assurance that we belong, we have worth, and we are adequate and competent to live life successfully.
We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. (Hebrews 12:2-3 NLT)
Let’s determine to give thanks each day for Jesus, and the fact that we are forever accepted in the beloved.
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