September 21, 2009

“How God must like you — you don’t hang out at Sin Saloon, you don’t slink along Dead-End-Road, you don’t go to Smart-Mouth College. Instead you thrill to God’s Word, you chew on Scripture day and night.” Psalm 1:1 The Message

Are you living God-liked today …?

A holding-your-breath-life is one of hoping that God likes you .. trying harder to win his approval .. and resting only after you feel like you’ve earned some time off. It is a never ending cycle that leaves you gasping and grasping for the breath to breathe. A God-liked-life breathes with praise. You see his Presence all around your life. You don’t have to keep busy. You don’t have to pretend. You’re able to breathe the grace-air of being unendingly loved because you know all the places where God found you. A holding-your-breath-life never rests .. never really worships .. and rarely has time to really to taste and enjoy the flavors of Scripture. There are praise-flavors .. forgiveness-flavors .. crying-out flavors .. confession-flavors .. faith-renewing-flavors .. saving-flavors .. resting-flavors .. delivering-flavors .. trust-flavors .. and grace-and-more-grace-flavors for your life today. Jesus showed us how much God likes us: He steps into our worlds while we’re still sin-scarred and dead-end-scared to take one step toward Him. He likes you enough to move inside your life .. to make his home in your heart .. and to give you the life-freeing gift of being God-liked through and through in all the un-liked places of your life. It begins with you .. with Jesus .. and the unbreakable promise that there is no condemnation for anyone whose life belongs to Christ. It only takes a moment …

“Hallelujah! Praise God in his holy house of worship, praise him under the open skies; Praise him for his acts of power, praise him for his magnificent acts of greatness.” Psalm 150:1-2 The Message

Ken Chester: Grace-Gripped is sent M-F to Christ-Followers and friends of Priority One (ken@prioritone.org)