October 22, 2009
“If when we were at our worst, we were put on friendly terms with God by the sacrificial death of his Son, now that we’re at our best, just think how our lives will expand and deepen by means of his resurrection life! …. Grace, because God is putting everything together again through the Messiah, invites us into life — a life that goes on and on and on, world without end.” Romans 5:10, 21 MSG
Jesus died at the worst places of your life .. at your worst moments .. at your worst thoughts about God .. at your worst secrets .. at all those places inside of yourself that you think are worse than everyone around you. Those are exactly the places where God wanted to enter your life so that you would know that He was totally .. unconditionally .. and completely loving you at those moments. He wasn’t waiting for you to clean up your own life. You may have tried or even given up trying .. or may still be trying to some degree to show God that you are trying to do your part. And then it happens .. resurrection life .. a life we are incapable of living or sustaining on our own .. and the only Life that makes our life worth living. God knows what he is up against in your life. He knows that no matter how hard you try .. you will never be able to break free from yourself .. you will never be able to sustain a living relationship with Him .. and you will never be able to just be you. In each of our lives there are those places we just cannot believe that God will clean up .. deliver .. make whole .. purify .. restore .. renew .. fully forgive .. and permanently abide in. God gives us this wonderful gift .. incredibly powerful for living today .. Grace! It is a gift .. a promise .. and the indwelling life of Jesus. It’s yours and it only takes a moment …
“It stands to reason, doesn’t it, that if the alive-and-present God who raised Jesus moves into your life, he’ll do the same thing in you that he did in Jesus, bringing you alive to himself. When God lives and breathes in you (and he does as surely as he did in Jesus) you are delivered from that dead life …” Romans 8:10 The Message
Ken Chester: Grace-Gripped is sent M-F to Alive-in-Jesus Followers and friends of Priority One (ken@priorityone.org)
