GET TOGETHER- NO NEED FOR A MAKE UP CALL
Ro 8:38,39 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (NKJV)
Yesterday was such a beautiful day here in Hamilton, Alabama. It was a perfect Spring day to get outside and work in the yard, or your garden. J.J. and I have two small plots that our son-in-law Shaun plowed up for us. And we are expecting a good crop!
J.J. went outside to get started with the work. I was grading Final exams for the Old Testament class that I teach here at Bevill State Community College. I told her that when I finished grading the exam that I was currently grading then I would be out there to get started with the project that we were working on. After she went out I realized that another exam had been completed and I felt like I needed to grade that one. Then I got a phone call. Bottom line I was probably about fifteen minutes later getting out there to help than I had originally said that I would be.
The devil then came with a spirit of condemnation and false guilt. As we were working, I began to think I have really got to hit a homerun out here today to make up for getting that late start. I wanted to be sure to get back in J.J.’s favor. The Holy Spirit then spoke to my heart. He said that there was nothing that I could do out there and that there was no need for me to try to do something to make that up to J.J. He reminded me that J.J. loved me for who that I was and not how I perform. He then reminded me that is how God loved me. He impressed upon me that there was nothing that I could do, or had to do for God to love me.
Now before you write me off as a cheap grace person let me say a few other things. When we realize that God’s loves us for who we are it leads us to desire to live a life that is in line with His word. Certainly, there are times that we know that we have sinned against God and we need to repent and to ask Him for His forgiveness. We do this because out of our love relationship with Him we don’t want any of our actions to grieve Him. In the same way I don’t won’t to ever intentionally hurt J.J. because I love her. We made a commitment to each other.
When we come to Jesus Christ, we make a commitment to Him. We are the Bride of Christ. When we sin, we ask Him to forgive us and He will. The Bible tells us in 1Jo 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” There are times that I do have to ask J.J. to forgive me for something. I do this not because she has stopped loving me when I may do something wrong, but because I want our marriage to be pure and holy. Sometimes I may ask her more than one time to forgive me for the same thing. She always replies I forgave you the first time that you ask me. That is the way that our Heavenly Father is. He forgives us the first time that we ask Him.
So today know that as a child of God that there is nothing that you have to do to make God love you. He loves us. He loved us when we were living in rebellion against Him. He loved us too much to leave us in that rebellious estate. The Gospel of John says it like this Joh 3:16,17 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” The Apostle Paul said it like this : Ro 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
So today rejoice in the fact that God loves you no matter whether we perform well, or whether we make mistakes and sometimes our performance is not so good. If you have never repented of your sin and come into a love relationship with Jesus Christ let today be that day. He loved you enough to die on the cross for your sins. May all who read this experience His love in a great and mighty way.
Let Us Pray
Lord we thank You that You don’t turn Your love for us on and off like a hydrant. Help us today to respond in a way of gratitude for the love that You have shown us. Help us also to love others as You have loved us. You loved us when we were and sometimes are still hard to love.
In Jesus Name
Amen
This garden is bringing back memories of digging potatoes in our garden in Hull camp in Walker County when I was a little boy. I was griping one day about having to work in it. My daddy said son you may have to do this one of these days. Well turned out that he was right! Love you all!
Your Friend/Kinfolk
Preston
Real Party Ministry 