August 10, 2017
“It’s news I’m most proud to proclaim, this extraordinary Message of God’s powerful plan to rescue everyone who trusts him, starting with Jews and then right on to everyone else! God’s way of putting people right shows up in the acts of faith, confirming what Scripture has said all along: “The person in right standing before God by trusting him really lives.” Romans 1:16-17 The Message
The world you live in advertises and markets “living” as buying something .. pursuing adventure .. or using a product that promises to change your life. If you do so you’ll start “living”. God’s plan is a little different: you’ll start living when you start trusting in what He has already done. God’s plan begins complete in Christ. You aren’t required to do anything. Even the act of trusting Christ is opened for you. It can’t be that simple? The confusion enters when you try to bring all “your stuff” into God’s plan and try to fit it all in. After all you worked really hard .. maybe even sacrificed .. along the way. Surely God means for this to be part of His blessing. Then again .. you may find yourself fearing that the Lord will take it all away to punish you or make you begin all over with a clean slate. He does indeed clean the slate and gives you a fresh start. His gift is to unburden your heart and mind from thinking or believing that it is up to you. It’s not. God must laugh at all the stuff we try to sneak into His plan. Jesus wants you to really live. He knows how hard it is to let go of all the world’s measurements. That’s why He made living so spectacularly simple: I am the way .. the truth .. and the life. Anything you use to try and find life apart from me will not work. It will wear you out trying to live life with me that isn’t found in me. Your life .. His plan .. your trust .. His life. It’s good work and He really wants you to be part of it today. Don’t worry … the Lord knows about all your stuff. It only takes a moment …
“He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.” Ephesians 2:10 The Message
