"But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his MERCY." -Titus 3:4-5
Little Hudson and I had just got done eating a snack, when he was compelled to clean the living room (because when you have pillow fights and play hide and go seek, the room eventually just cannot stay clean).
He said, "OOH! I need to clean the living room! I need to put all the pillows back on the couch and make it so pretty." And I agreed. I told him "Mom is going to be SO proud of you for cleaning. You are becoming such a big boy." And he looked at me and said, "YEAH! Mom WILL be proud. She will be SO HAPPY" (making it all caps because he was yelling it at this point).
So he ran into the living room, picked up two pillows, and put them on couches that they were not originally on. He walked around and looked at his work. He was so proud, and thought the room was so clean. I looked around and saw trash on the table from our lunch, popcorn on the floor, pillows thrown on the wrong couches and barely hanging on the couch, and toys all over the floor, but I saw he was proud, so I let it be for his mom to see.
She came home and he ran to the door and said "MOM LOOK I HAVE SOMETHING TO SHOW YOU!"
He grabbed her hand and brought her into the living room, and said "Look, I cleaned for you!"
I thought her reaction was going to be "Ooh, Yeah! It's pretty clean, but those pillows don't go there. And there's popcorn on the floor and trash every where. And this cheetah blanket doesn't belong here. And the couch needs to be pushed back up. And you didn't vacuum, or Windex.."
She looked at the room, and turned to Hudson with a high five, and said "YEAH! HUDSON, I LOVE IT! It's beautiful!"
I wonder if we know that's how Jesus is with us.
He doesn't care about perfection,
because He is perfect.
Hudson's mom was not proud of him for how clean the room was (because it was not- I think I described it enough). She was proud because she loved her little boy SO MUCH.
That verse from above...
When he saved us at the cross,
it wasn't because of all the good deeds we had done.
He doesn't continue to show grace on us every day because of the good deeds we've done, or will continue to do. Going to church won't gain you heaven points. Helping an old lady cross the street won't get you bumped up on God's favorites list. God won't hold up a foam finger whenever you give that homeless man $1 for a newspaper.
Why? Because He is already making a place for you in Heaven. You are already His favorite. He is holding that foam finger up all day for you (can you imagine?)
"But God demonstrated his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." -Romans 5:8
He loves you. There's nothing you did that turned a switch on for Jesus to start loving you. Because let's face it, we are all sinners. We will always be sinners.
And that's why Jesus wanted to save us. He wanted us to know it's not about trying to be good enough, or doing more good things, or trying to earn his Love..
Because we already have it.
IT'S YOURS. He gave it freely. Because of His Mercy. Because of His Grace. Because of His UNCONDITIONAL love for you and for me.
Whatever we are doing, cleaning a room, sitting or standing, running, throwing a frisbee, washing a car, hanging out with friends..
even while we are running away from Him. When we don't want to spend time with Him, or don't understand why He would choose us...
He still and FOREVER will look at you ALWAYS and say
That's MY girl
or
that's MY boy
I'm so proud
Do you believe this?
Think about it
"For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him.." -Psalm 103:11
Love,
T
He said, "OOH! I need to clean the living room! I need to put all the pillows back on the couch and make it so pretty." And I agreed. I told him "Mom is going to be SO proud of you for cleaning. You are becoming such a big boy." And he looked at me and said, "YEAH! Mom WILL be proud. She will be SO HAPPY" (making it all caps because he was yelling it at this point).
So he ran into the living room, picked up two pillows, and put them on couches that they were not originally on. He walked around and looked at his work. He was so proud, and thought the room was so clean. I looked around and saw trash on the table from our lunch, popcorn on the floor, pillows thrown on the wrong couches and barely hanging on the couch, and toys all over the floor, but I saw he was proud, so I let it be for his mom to see.
She came home and he ran to the door and said "MOM LOOK I HAVE SOMETHING TO SHOW YOU!"
He grabbed her hand and brought her into the living room, and said "Look, I cleaned for you!"
I thought her reaction was going to be "Ooh, Yeah! It's pretty clean, but those pillows don't go there. And there's popcorn on the floor and trash every where. And this cheetah blanket doesn't belong here. And the couch needs to be pushed back up. And you didn't vacuum, or Windex.."
She looked at the room, and turned to Hudson with a high five, and said "YEAH! HUDSON, I LOVE IT! It's beautiful!"
I wonder if we know that's how Jesus is with us.
He doesn't care about perfection,
because He is perfect.
Hudson's mom was not proud of him for how clean the room was (because it was not- I think I described it enough). She was proud because she loved her little boy SO MUCH.
That verse from above...
When he saved us at the cross,
it wasn't because of all the good deeds we had done.
He doesn't continue to show grace on us every day because of the good deeds we've done, or will continue to do. Going to church won't gain you heaven points. Helping an old lady cross the street won't get you bumped up on God's favorites list. God won't hold up a foam finger whenever you give that homeless man $1 for a newspaper.
Why? Because He is already making a place for you in Heaven. You are already His favorite. He is holding that foam finger up all day for you (can you imagine?)
"But God demonstrated his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." -Romans 5:8
He loves you. There's nothing you did that turned a switch on for Jesus to start loving you. Because let's face it, we are all sinners. We will always be sinners.
And that's why Jesus wanted to save us. He wanted us to know it's not about trying to be good enough, or doing more good things, or trying to earn his Love..
Because we already have it.
IT'S YOURS. He gave it freely. Because of His Mercy. Because of His Grace. Because of His UNCONDITIONAL love for you and for me.
Whatever we are doing, cleaning a room, sitting or standing, running, throwing a frisbee, washing a car, hanging out with friends..
even while we are running away from Him. When we don't want to spend time with Him, or don't understand why He would choose us...
He still and FOREVER will look at you ALWAYS and say
That's MY girl
or
that's MY boy
I'm so proud
Do you believe this?
Think about it
"For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him.." -Psalm 103:11
Love,
T
