Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ.
He anointed us,
set His seal of ownership on us,
and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit,
guaranteeing what is to come.
2 Corinthians 1:21-22
I've been meditating on these verses over the last couple of days. I don't know about you, but it's hard for me to remember and accept that God loves me. So over the last several months, I have (sporadically) asked God to show me His love for me and let me enjoy being his beloved. He's heard my prayers and been faithfully teaching my heart to believe.
You see, God's love is a no-strings-attached kind of love. I can't earn it.
Neither can you.
We just have to take God at His Word and ask Him to give us the faith to believe that it is true. God gives faith as generously as He gives love. And for we fickle folk, it's a daily (if not hourly) exercise to remember how much God loves us - to live has beloved sons and daughters, rather than orphans, seeking love of any old kind from any old source. God is love - the source and the real deal.
Meditating on the verses I mentioned from 2 Corinthians can help to keep our feet grounded in the truth. Paul reminds us that it is GOD who makes us stand firm in Christ. And just to drive it home he continues:
- GOD anointed us.
- GOD set His seal of ownership on us.
- GOD put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit.
Perhaps it freaks you out a little to think about being "owned." Well, the truth of the matter is that if you don't belong to God, you belong to something else. There is a battle being waged for our souls and the "dark side" wants you to believe that God's love isn't real and that He is not trustworthy.
Remember this: the God who makes us stand firm in Christ, anointed us, set His seal of ownership on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts is the one who demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) Yep, that's right, God didn't wait for mankind to clean up his act. He entered into our messed up, sin-tainted world and died so we could belong to Him again.
That is love.
Today, dear Christian, cling to the Word, hold on to Truth, cry out to God Almighty. You are His, beloved and precious. Rest in His love.
If you do not know this love and would like to, let me know. There's nothing more I'd like to share with you!
sometimes your blog reminds me of how paul encouraged timothy: "but as for you O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Tale hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses." timothy 6:11-13. what a charge we have been given, and how often we need to be reminded to hold onto the truth!
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