So this semester, a couple friends and I have been reading (very slowly) through a book called Because He Loves Me: How Christ Transforms Our Daily Life by Elyse M. Fitzpatrick. I highly recommend you pick yourself up a copy because, as this blog entry's title alludes to, it is a ming blowing reminder of truth and of the gospel. Today in my quiet time, I was reading a section of the book and I came across this:
"When your heart accuses you and says, 'You're so worthless. Look at the way you've failed Him again!' you can confidently answer, 'It is true that on my own I am worthless, but he has made me completely righteous in his Son. He has declared the he loves me and his love is now the most important thing about me. I believe that he won't stop loving me until he stops loving his own Son. I can begin to serve him again because I know he is here, with me, sustaining me and granting me his grace.'"
How amazing is it to know, that even when we stumble (which is always going to happen because as the bible says, "All have fallen short of the glory of God.") He loves us the same. Not only does He still love us the same, but He also continues to be with us, sustain us, and grant us grace. How awesome, in the true sense of the word! God will never stop loving his Son, so He will never stop loving us. Yes on our own we are worthless. Even though this statement may sound kind of harsh, it reminds us of our great dependence on the Lord. We are desperately dependent on Him and Him alone! How many times do we all feel as if we have failed? How often do we feel beaten or feel like we have lost? Too often in my life, I forget that my significance comes from God the Father and nowhere else. When I forget this, I live to perform to the standards I and the world have set for myself. I reach for the goals I have set or for those that have been set for me. When I do this, I am trying to live on my own without help from anyone, even without help from God. And all too often it ends with me feeling beaten or like I have lost or failed. I feel worthless because I have not "won." But when I am finally reminded of truth, whether I realize I have strayed and point myself back to truth or whether someone else points me back, I am nearly overwhelmed. I remember the kind of things this quote says and rest in the embrace of my Lord and Savior. The only questions now are: When will we (when will I) quit trying to do things on my own? And when will we finally be able to rest in the fact that He loves us the same and no performance, whether good or bad, will make Him love us more or less?
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