January 14

3 Startling Graces of God
I've been reading a book called "Because He Loves Me" by Elyse Fitzpatrick with the Women's Bible Study from my church. This book is FULL of these startling graces - I am daily amazed. Here are the most recent three I can think of:

1. We have been justified! Our sinful record was taken on by Christ on the cross and he suffered the punishment we deserved....but justification means so much more than that. "Jesus' perfect record has become ours". This is how God sees us...as though we have never ever sinned. As though we are as blameless and perfect as his son Jesus! As if we have always kept all his commandments, always been more focused on accomplishing his will than anything else in our lives, always does the things that are pleasing to him....how amazing.

2. "I am more sinful and flawed than I ever dared believed, but I am more loved and welcomed than I ever dared hope." He loves ME so much that "the payment (for sin) he demanded, he has provided", so that i can once again be in the presence of the Father. Thank you Father for forgiveness and unfailing, unending love.

3. God does discipline and train us, but "his work in our lives is never punitive, it is ALWAYS redemptive". God never punishes us for our sin, just gently and lovingly frees us from it. "He never punishes us in wrath because he has no wrath left. Every drop of his wrath was ALL poured out on his Son." His blameless Son took the full wrath of his Father for sin he never committed for me. I don't have to see my God as an angry God waiting for me to fail so he can punish me...he is never angry with me - that was all dealt with on the cross.




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