Rest Stop

I'm taking a quick rest stop and sharing something from this past week. I wrote this in an email to a friend who shared about the struggle with feelings and giving into them.

They were several times this week looking back, feelings took over and I did not put up a fight with them because I felt my feelings of anger, justice and "this is so unfair - why does it have to be like this?" were justified because of the situation. But thankfully, on Friday night, God reviewed the week with me and showed me my sins and took me to the cross. I was reminded of God's love, but not in an unconditional way. I was reminded of his love that sent His son to die on the cross to make atonement for my sins. I was reminded of his love that he would discipline me because of his love towards me. I was reminded that Christ did something for me that I could not do for myself. He took the wrath and punishment I deserved and he imparted his righteousness to me. I was reminded that I was bought, ransomed, set free from the power of sin and death. I was reminded that I am now a slave to righteousness not sinfulness. I was reminded that I cannot do this alone. I was reminded that God alone can help me not because of who I am but because of he who is, rich in mercy. I was reminded that I am not alone.

So I wanted to email you to remind you as well. Christ has paid for your sins completely. His death on the cross is the greatest example of God's love towards you. As CJ says in the Cross Centered Life, what more could God do to persuade you that he loves you? Reading that again just now makes me think of all the things I think God should do to show me he loves me...the gift of marriage, parents that understand me, friends that know me, easy days at work, bosses who don't wait until the last minute to ask me to do something, friendlier neighbors, gas prices lowered, income increased, lower rent, the list could go on and on...but God does love me and you because he freed us from the death and destruction of sin we were headed for and he has given us the gift of eternal life with Him. I wish I would see this act of love as the greatest more often than what the world and sin would say.

So that's my encouragement to you. Run to the cross, be reminded and persuaded, as CJ says, of God's love to you there.

Toodles,