More Than Works: Life as God's Daughter, Not Employee
To be honest, one of things I was looking forward to this past Easter weekend was working. I like to think that I try and spend as much time as possible with God each day (…I probably shouldn’t think this, there’s never enough time with God), so while Easter certainly has special meaning (thank you, Jesus!!!), this four day weekend was also a chance to sit down, pray, soak and start writing a book I feel God has placed on my heart.
But things turned out differently.
This Easter Monday morning, my sin weighed heavily on my heart. It was a long morning of really pressing into God, asking for his help, pleading with him to take over. During this time, he reminded me that his opinion is the only one that matters, that my sins are forgiven, that he knows my every action and thought as well as my heart…
The enemy is constantly trying to keep us in sin, shame, focused on embarrassment and failure … but we have been cleansed by Jesus’s blood. And as I continued to spend more time with God, this knowledge moved from my head to my heart.
Sometimes I forget (pride…) but during times like this morning, no one knows more than me how imperfect I am. It was painful but I’m also thankful because I think in the thick of our mess-ups and pain, it can be even more unbelievable that God loves us so much he would send his one and only Son to die for our sins. That Jesus loves us so much he was willing to suffer to show us true love.
So I pray, Lord, that you help me (and anyone else who wants to pray along) to live without fear and shame. To not only see myself as you see me, but to see every single person as you see them. You love us ALL. You died because you wanted to save us ALL.
Lord, help us to know that only you are worth living for. Only you can take away our sin and shame. Only by the power of your blood shed for us on the cross. Thank you for making a way.
…and the book? After my morning quiet time, I spent the day praying more, journalling more, watching sermons, and going for a worship walk … feeling thankful to be spending so much time with my Saviour, my loving Saviour who would rather nurture me that have me work for him.
