The Embrace part 4
In order to have any chance at experiencing the abundant, everlasting, eternal, Resurrection Life that is the gift of God, we must learn to embrace ourselves. Here's the pattern: On the cross Jesus did it to us. Now we can do it to ourselves. And once we do it to ourselves we can do it to each other. This goes, first and foremost, for love. Jesus showed us the greatest expression of love that man can have by laying down His life for His friends. And because Jesus loves us, we can love ourselves. And once we love ourselves we can love each other. This also goes for forgiveness, and mercy, and grace, and all of those things that kind of define "the Christian life." We can forgive OURSELVES, because we are forgiven (and don't forget about not condemning ourselves. That comes with forgiveness too). And then we can forgive others. And on and on. But it's like the old saying, "Charity starts at home." They tell you if something happens on an airplane, to put your own oxygen mask on before you put your kid's mask on. Because if you don't take care of yourself you can't take care of anyone else. And I know there's a lot to be said about ministering out of your pain, and your hurt. I completely believe that a big reason we go through things in our life is so that we can help others through those same things. And I know that I preach all the time that if I take care of you, and you take care of me, then neither one of us has to take care of ourselves. But look at one of my favorite (I know, they're ALL my favorites...) verses in the Bible, "And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God" (1 Samuel 30:6). Sometimes it feels like nobody is embracing us. Sometimes it feels like no matter how hard we try, all of our efforts are for nought. Sometimes it feels like everything we do is wrong, and everybody is against us. And at those times, it's so important to encourage ourselves in the Lord. Because even when it feels like nobody else loves you... Jesus does. He always has and He always will. God IS love, so He would have to stop being God in order to stop loving you. And it doesn't matter what stupid thing you just did. He loves you regardless. So you can love YOURSELF regardless. You can see that "no condemnation for those in Christ" applies to YOU too. You can stop condemning yourself and start embracing yourself. People make mistakes. People are messy. But failing doesn't make you a failure. The only way to fail is to quit. As long as you're moving forward--upward and God-ward--it doesn't matter if it's baby steps, or crawling, or what. I tell Logan the most important things is to learn and grow every day. Don't we realize that we learn more from our mistakes than our successes? Don't we realize that love is needed the most when someone has fallen down? God's embrace allows you to embrace yourself. And that allows you to embrace anyone and everyone else!