"Though you live in this temporal world, your innermost being is rooted and grounded in eternity" ~Sarah Young, Jesus Calling.
Twenty-six years ago I trusted Jesus as my own - I entered into relationship with Him. Over the last twenty-six years I have learned a great deal about Jesus and myself. He has become more than just "fire" insurance for me. Walking with Him is a daily joy. He breathes life into my failing flesh. Relationship with Jesus is not just about where I will spend eternity, it is about everyday peace, trust and opportunity.
The longer I know Jesus the deeper this truth roots itself into me:
Jesus did not just save you from something.
He saved you for something.
Twenty-six years ago I became a new creature. Old things passed away and new things flooded my life. Today this is still true in my everyday choices as the Holy Spirit convicts my innermost being and I choose to put away things of this world and walk the straight and narrow. Is it always my natural instinct to align myself with His ways? No. And, I fail miserably at times in my words, my thoughts, my dealings with my children, my selfishness.....
"What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun".
2 Corinthians 5:17
My relationship with Jesus creates peace within my everyday and future.
"For our present troubles are quite small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us an immeasureable great glory that will last forever! So we don't look at the troubles we can see right now; rather, we look forward to what we have not yet seen for the troubles we see will soon be over, but the joy to come will last forever".
2 Corinthians 4:17-18
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33
My relationship with Jesus has built insurmountable trust in Him. I have learned and daily am learning whatever situation arises HE WILL come through. He can not not be true to His character. Every situation, HE COMPLETES with a yes or a no. I must align myself with His answer.
"My yes means yes because Jesus Christ, the Son of God, never waivers between yes and no. He is the one whom Timothy, Silas and I preached to you, and HE IS the DIVINE YES - God's affirmation".
2 Corinthians 1:19
My relationship with Jesus is about opportunity to pour out His love, extend grace and point lives that intersect mine to truth.
"But thanks be to God, who made us his captives and leads us along in Christ's triumphal procession. Now wherever we go he uses us to tell others about the Lord and spread the Good News like a sweet perfume".
2 Corinthians 2:14
"For God is the one who gives seed to the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will give you many opportunities to do good, and he will produce a great harvest of generosity in you".
2 Corinthians 9:10
Sunday, our pastor set aside a time for lost people to make peace with and enter into a relationship with their Heavenly Father. It was a sweet time for me as I reflected over the last 26 years with Jesus, as I prayed for my children to one day choose to enter relationship with Him and as I rejoiced over those who gave their lives to Jesus. That was all accompanied by tears of thankfulness for the incredible unworthy gift God extended to me.
"While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us".
Romans 5:10
I am so thankful He made the first move and 26 years ago I chose to move towards Him.
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