Self-esteem according to Christ(3)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. (Ephesians 1:3-6)

God planned and created us and we rebelled against Him. We decided that we knew better and betrayed Him. Doing that, we ruined His workmanship, us. But God has a plan, another one. He planned to make us holy and blameless and to adopt us.

That means God loved us so much that He found a solution to a problem we created, our separation from Him. It means God wanted us so much that He found a way to put our betrayal and our rebellion behind. And He made sure that we would not destroy everything again by forgiving us, giving us a new relationship with Him through Christ. Because of Christ and in Christ,  our relationship with God does not depend on our righteousness.

Moreover, He did not just plan all of that for the humans, but He chose us. He planned all of that for each of us individually. He said, “This is my plan for Kelly. “; ” This is my plan for Anne.” And I guarantee you that if the general plan is the same for all, details differ from people to people. Because our God knows us and loves us personally.

So do you feel that you don’t measure up? Oh, you don’t. But Christ does and that is enough. The Love of God is enough. He knew who you were, all you are, and everything you will be, but chose you. And He is not ashamed of you.

For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers… (Hebrews 2:11)

 

 

Worshipping a holy God

“Then David summoned the priests Zadok and Abiathar, and the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab, and said to them, “You are the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites. Consecrate yourselves, you and your brothers, so that you may bring up the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel, to the place that I have prepared for it. Because you did not carry it the first time, the LORD our God broke out against us, because we did not seek him according to the rule.” So the priests and the Levites consecrated themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel. And the Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles, as Moses had commanded according to the word of the LORD.” (1 Chronicles 15:11-15 ESV)

God is so amazing, so unique. He is a friend, a father, a brother, a helper, a comforter among other things. It is easy to focus on these aspects of His uniqueness and to forget His holiness. We tend to see His approachability as an invitation to do as we want in our relationship with Him. But there are rules to seek God. Repentance is one, faith in Christ another one, and gratitude and reverence others.  Grace is grace, but grace is holy. Love is love, but love does not mean disrespect, contempt, or right to complain or test God. There is a place for weakness in our relationship with God, but do not expect God to change His word, His rules for you. He did not even change them for David, the man according to His own heart.

“Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12:28-29 ESV)

 

God’s way to delight in Him

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Isaiah 55:8-9

I have been thinking of ways to delight in the LORD. I thought it was my responsibility to figure out a way to do it. I thought I could and should have strength and determination to achieve it. Of course I prayed for it, but still it was about me doing my thing to reach out to God. And as I was reading Isaiah 58 and God reminds me that it was His story and tells me what He expects us to do if we want to delight in Him.

“If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the LORD honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly; then you shall take delight in the LORD…” Isaiah 58:13-14

Or as the New Living Translation translates it:

“Keep the Sabbath day holy. Don’t pursue your own interests on that day, but enjoy the Sabbath and speak of it with delight as the LORD’s holy day. Honor the Sabbath in everything you do on that day, and don’t follow your own desires or talk idly. Then the LORD will be your delight.

So let’s meditate on this scripture and prayerfully, with God’s wisdom and power, decide how it applies to us, so that we can enjoy the privilege to take delight in the LORD.

When things are formless, dark and empty

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Genesis 1:1-2

Sometimes you don’t really know what’s going on in your life, in your heart and in the world around you. It seems like the world, the city, your friends, your job, your dreams, your family are all wrapped in a cloud, or better in many clouds.
You look up and God is more invisible than ever. You wonder what to do, where to begin, where to go. You wonder why and when.
And then the Holy Spirit reminds you that He is here. He is here with you even though you don’t see, feel or hear Him. He reminds you that before the beginning He was there. When there was nothing on earth, when there was no beauty to be admired, He was there. When all was dark and ugly, He cared. So how much more now that you belong to the King? Now that His righteousness is yours (Romans 4: 23-24) how could He be absent? He cares and watches over you. He hovers over your soul, over your heart. He hovers over your confusion and the ugliness of life.
That’s what He does. The glory of our God is to be good (Exodus 33:18-19). So don’t let the clouds deceive you. He always cares for you. (1 Peter 5: 6-7)