Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Living Right byproduct of Loving God

There are many ideas about Christianity. I have been growing and learning through my daily walks with my Lord. I have grown in the knowledge of his love and his wonderful GRACE. There is so much there, he loved me when....He still loves me now. The only thing that has chanced is my gratitude for his love. Because, those who have been forgiven much, love much. Oh, how I have been forgiven much. He still forgives me daily. I can never do enough to earn what he has already forgiven.

There are those who believe; you have to live by a long list of do's and don'ts. This group of people believes that God's favor is earned by good behavior. I have been in this group. I believed that if you really changed on the inside you should show that change on the outside. This system of belief tends to make God's love something to earn, rather than free acceptance from God.

Then there are those who believe; Gods Word is not as important as our personal sense of God's guidance. They believe that, it is all about how you feel and you do not need to go to church, read God's word or live a certain way. I have also been a part of this group. I believed that I was fine, without the help of other believers and that I had no need for his daily guidance. My belief that he was real, was enough. What I did not realize was this system leaves you open for false beliefs and false teachers. I need the help of the other believers and I most desperately need his word to help guide me to "true freedom."

While, both of these beliefs have their good and are partially correct, they do not give the whole picture. True Christianity, is to believe inwardly and outwardly that Jesus' death has allowed God to forgive us. This is an eternal gift. We accept that gift through faith. I show my gratitude for what God has done for me. I show my gratitude by trying my best to live a life that pleases my Father. This love is both private and public. I am now challenged to live a life of obedience, out of gratitude, for saving me. While, I was still living in sin.

I no longer live trying to please God, so that he will accept me. But, I live my life, so that I can show him, how thankful I truly am. He has freed me from my life of sin. I am no longer a slave of this world but I am a free woman. I love my Lord. I want to thank him daily for loving me when I was unlovable. I did nothing to deserve his love. He loved me first. He set me free even when I did not realize I was a slave.

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