Victory
I hope everyone had a wonderful 4thof July. I went away with the extended family and the time was very precious. Very full of activities and lots of kids, but memories were made and relationships strengthened.
How was your week? I’m wondering how many of you got together with a friend, co-worker or family member? Holidays often bring out our desire for community, but with community can sometimes come conflict. When was the last time you were in a conflict? I’m wondering if it was with a spouse, friend, significant other or family member. When conflict comes, often one person or both people are wounded. Maybe egos are damaged.
In a society that drives us to have immediate answers, it is easy to be offended when someone asks you something you don’t know. Or better yet, challenges something that you do know. I was having a conversation with one of my children today about the ability to be a person that allows correction to be present in his life. We started talking about Jesus and the pharisees and why they didn’t like Jesus. Words like pride and correction came into the conversation. I reminded my son that while it is good to be confident, it is not good to be prideful. We need to always strive to be humble and more like Jesus.
In the book of Romans, Paul is writing to the church body in Rome. Romans 8:33-39, “Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died-more than that, who was raised to life-is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: ‘For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels or demons, neither the present nor the future, nor powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
That was long I know, but re-read above. God has chosen you. He is just. He gives grace and intercedes on our behalf! Friends, he fights our battles and there is NOTHING that can separate us from his love! There is no reason to allow anger or pride to well up inside you. God’s got this thing and will see you through it.
Heavenly Father, I am moved to tears by your goodness. We don’t desire your love, but I’m so thankful you offer it for free. Release us from any anxiety, anger, or pride that may well up inside of us. God, open our hearts to receive all that you have for us. In Jesus name, Amen.