Romans 3:24 (NLT)
“Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.”
May this truth of God’s Word settle deep in your heart. It’s freeing to know that regardless of what you or I do, say, or think God declares that we are righteous! Our righteousness is not dependent on what we do, how we perform, or even the motives of our hearts, but what Jesus Christ did has set us free from the penalty of our sins. Shame, guilt, and the burden of our past no longer has to be a burden or torment us any longer! He has paid the price, forgiven us, and made us clean and in right standing with God. When we were at our worst, He loved us and forgave us. What beautiful news!
This past week my daughter woke up and as we were going about our morning routine of breakfast, she seemed to have woken up on the wrong side of the bed. Irritable, whiney, fussy…so after putting her back in her crib to have some alone time, I went back in the kitchen and continued getting her breakfast ready. I was making her favorite things. As I was doing this the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart. “Jenn, look at what you are doing,” He said to me. I observed my actions of making scrambled eggs, juice, Ryan’s favorite cinnamon rolls, rolling her high chair in the living room so she could watch Sesame Street with her breakfast. I even turned on the TV and pressed pause so she could watch it once she got out of her crib. The Holy Spirit proceeded, “Look at all this you are doing for her even though she doesn’t deserve it. Her whininess, fussiness, and irritability is not worthy of this favor you are giving her. But you do it not because she deserves it or has earned it, but because of how much you love her! It’s because of who she is; your daughter. My daughter, your Heavenly Father does the same thing for you. His love, favor, and goodness toward you is simply an overflow of His adoration, love, and delight in you, not because you have earned it, but because you are His daughter.” Wow! My heart smiled.
Beloved, you are eternally loved, accepted, and favored not because you have earned or deserved it but because you are His child! It’s His goodness that leads us to change our thinking and behavior (Romans 2:4). He is good to us all the time and every good and perfect gift is from Him (James 1:17)! Rest in His love today…for you are the delight and joy of King Jesus (Hebrews 12:2)!
Identity 