Today, let’s think about the words, oppression versus offering. God is our All Powerful Father Who doesn’t want anyone to be condemned. When we surrender our lives to Jesus, we are given the gifts of righteousness, holiness and Eternal Life. Along with that is the freedom from condemnation. (Ro 8:1) Yet even though God has the power and the right to make us surrender, He doesn’t. He hopes we will choose the have a relationship with Him. He hopes we will choose Life over death. He hopes we will choose to love Him with all we’ve got and love our neighbor as we love ourselves…but He will never force us. He will pursue us, woo us, urge us, redirect us…but He is not a God of oppression. God always offers Himself to us, then respects us enough to let us choose for ourselves.
Too many people have the completely wrong idea of Who our God is. He is not a mean, mad Deity, sitting on His Throne just waiting to zap us with lightning bolts! He is our Holy Father Who loves us more than we can even grasp this side of Heaven. And a loving, gracious Holy Father would never twist our arms and coerce us into being with Him if we chose not to. This is so important, my Friends, because the way we view God is going to completely change the way we live our lives. Choose today to surrender and get to know this Gentle God more and more.
<>< Peace, Diane
