Why is it so hard to have grace for others? Its hard when we get our feelings hurt, our expectations are unmet, hurtful things are done to us or someone we love, and the list can go on and on.
God didn't ask us to only have grace for those we want to have grace for....or to love those we WANT to love. He has called us to love and have grace for everyone. Especially those its hard to extend grace and love to.
Sometimes we have to step out in obedience and do what we know is truth...and our emotions will follow later. Sometimes, we have to completely rely on God to help us take that obedient step of faith, because we've been hurt too many times or we just feel like living in the flesh that day.
Christ humbled Himself and became flesh, human, so that He could take our place. He alone is the acceptable sacrifice for our sins because He alone fulfilled the Law. He was perfect! He was and IS God! He was God in the flesh!!! Leaving the glory of Heaven, leaving the Father, and His own glory to become like us. Don't be confused, He NEVER stopped being God! He WAS God in the flesh! WOW!!! Have you ever really thought about that? He became like us! The same temptations, the same frustrations, the same ungodly world, the same world that doesn't believe He is God. Only He could take our place! God was so gracious to send His own Son knowing we could never be worthy enough to reconcile our sinful nature to His perfect being. Because He is a just God, someone had to the punishment of sin. Christ did that for you and me! He was the perfect sacrifice! The acceptable payment was made and we can now be reconciled to God, the Father....It was a perfect God bringing sinful man back to Himself through Jesus Christ, His Son. We can now be saved from eternal separation and live with Him forever!!! How do we have this salvation and eternal life with Him? Believe!
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whosoever believes in Him will have eternal life.
Through GRACE ALONE by FAITH ALONE in CHRIST ALONE! We can all have eternal life with Him! Trusting Him and believing that He alone took your place and died for you and ROSE AGAIN, conquering death, on SUNDAY!!!
What I was convicted of today was to have that same grace and love that He had for me! I have a past and a present and a future that can and will have times that make me unloveable, but GOD LOVES ME! And God loves all of His children. We need to start looking at all people the way God does...as His child and not through our fleshful eyes. Love them the way He does...and for some people we need Him to love through us because its too hard to do on our own.
Like Christ laid down His life for us, lets lay down our flesh and our emotions and extend that same grace to others. Whether you think they deserve it or not is not the point. Its taking on the life of Christ and revealing what He has done for ALL people to others. We all need a Savior! We are called to live in the world, but not live like the world. Lets show others we are differnent so they may come to know the Savior!
HAPPY GOOD FRIDAY!!!! But, Sunday is coming!!!!!
***You can read more about Good Friday at Angela's Blog too***
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2 comments:
Hi Beth! What a wonderful post. Thank you so much for sharing your heart and for participating. I really enjoyed your reflections about forgiveness as obedience. I hope you have a wonderful Easter.
I loved your post and couldn't agree more. I just read in my bible study that we are never called to forgive another person more than Christ has forgiven us! Isn't that powerful? It encouraged me to be a lot more forgiving than I have been! =) La, la!
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