Undeserved part 3
When you understand that the gift of God--eternal life, knowing the Father and the One whom He sent--has nothing to do with what you do and everything to do with who you are... that's when you can start to ENJOY the gift of God. You can stop trying to earn something that can't be earned. Look at Matthew 11:28-30 in the Message Bible, "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." Did you catch that? The ryhthms of grace are UNFORCED. Undeserved. A gift that we've already been given, but must learn to receive. And that's what the Holy Spirit is all about. That's what it means to "get away with Jesus and recover your life." Because to live is to love and to love is to love. That's what the Holy Spirit--the Spirit of truth--teaches us. That's where the Holy Spirit leads us. He leads and guides us into all truth. The ultimate truth of the universe that says the Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into His hands. WE are that Son. All things have been given into OUR hands. We don't need to run around like chickens with our heads cut off, looking for love in all the wrong places. We don't have to try to earn something that is freely given. We don't have to judge others--or ourselves--to see if we are worthy of the gift. Explaining why Jesus died for us on the cross, why He washed us with water through the word, Ephesians 5:27 (NLT) says, "He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault." And this idea is taken almost directly from Song of Solomon 4:7, "Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee." That's how the Lamb sees His wife. That's how the Father sees His Son. That's how God sees us! Not according to what we do, but according to who we are. According to who HE is. As He is, so are we in this world. But so many times we rob ourselves from the gift we've been given. We try to earn it, and in that way completely miss out on it. Or we disqualify ourselves. We sin (which is unbelief) when we don't believe that we are who our heavenly Father says we are. When we try to be somebody we're not. When we try to modify our behavior to fit into a relgious box because we think in that way we'll get what we want. Guys. Love is NEVER about getting. Love is always about giving, because love IS giving. And, yes, you have to recieve first, so that you have something to give. But it is more blessed to give than to receive. You don't receive and then stop there. You don't horde up what you've got, waiting for someone to deserve it. Freely you have been given... freely give. Stop trying to get something you (think you) don't have, and start sharing what you do have! My pastor always says, "If you know it, throw it." If you have it, give it away. And don't be afraid to lose what you've got either. Because you're connected to the unlimited source of love. The very God who IS love. You can't run out. You've been filled to overflowing. Not because you earned it, or deserve it... but because your Daddy loves you!