So if the only way to have Everlasting Life is to surrender to Jesus… because it is the only way… and if the only way to experience more and more of this New amazing Life here is to continually surrender to the Holy Spirit… because again it is the only way… then why don’t we? I am departing from the book a little here, but I think this is a good place to stop and ask ourselves this vital question. One reason may be that we just do not know this is how this Christian Life works. Another reason may be because we are just stubborn, and continue to want what we want. The enemy works hard to keep baby Christians ignorant, and maturing Christians stubborn, because as I have said before, if he lost you to Christ, he doesn’t want to lose anyone else because of you!
But I believe the main reason we do not connect with God, more consistently, is because we continue to be afraid that we are not worthy to be with this Holy, Holy, Holy God. And the reality is, we aren’t! Ahh, but God! Because He chooses to love us through our ignorance, our stubbornness and our guilt-ridden hearts, His Love alone makes us worthy. We are not worthy, so God gives us His Love and Grace. We are worthy, BECAUSE God chooses to give us His Love and Grace.
Because He calls the believer His own beloved, holy child, we can connect with Him the moment we sense life draining from us. The moment we begin to feel stressed out, falling down into that pit, getting angry, frustrated, confused…the moment we sense these “death symptoms,” we can return to God because He loves us, because He has forgiven us, because He says we are precious.
By Grace…that’s God’s part which brings Life to us. By Faith…this is all we must bring to the table. Faith is just empty, humbled hands reaching up to this most Loving, and Lovely God. That’s all we have to bring, empty hands, freely and willingly choosing to receive His Love. This is the spiritual and physical sign of surrender, sin’t it? And as we surrender, the Abundant Life becomes our reality.
2023’s Got A Minute? Book Club
January: The First & Best Book Ever: The Bible
February: Love Is In the Air: “The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts” by Gary Chapman
March: Spring Growth: “Secrets of the Vine” by Bruce Wilkinson
April: Living the Resurrected Life: “The Wonderful Spirit Filled Life” by Dr Charles Stanley
<>< Peace, Diane
