Love and acceptance are two very important things. Without one, the other means nothing.
I can say I love someone, but if I refuse to accept anything about that person, there is doubt cast upon that love.
I can say I accept someone, but if I only accept them out of duty, and not of love, then the relationship is cold, and icy.
Love and acceptance need each other, or they become nothing more than words, and empty phrases.
And pastor Gardner spent almost 6 hours on Saturday talking about the love that God has for me. And that God accepts me. And I'm the prize of His glory. And I never really knew that God was so loving.
I went home that day feeling much, much, much better than I had in almost a month. And it was a great feeling. But a full realization, or a fuller understand didn't come until the next morning.
Class went as normal, save that we got out a few minutes early. Brother Tony said something, and I'm not really sure of the conversation before or after he said it, but he said something that really opened my eyes.
I'm already accepted by God.
No matter what I do, or don't do, say, or don't say, God accepts me as is. I don't have to change anything, I don't have to do any good works, or anything. God already accepts me.
And that's something I've always, always struggled with: being accepted. I don't want to sound like a complainer, or a whiner, but I've always felt a bit out of place around people, and like I never was quite accepted.
But people are people. God is God. And God accepts me, knowing full well who I am. And it's such a relief to know that I don't have to do anything special to be accepted. God just looks at me and says,
"Kyle, if you never change, or never do anything else, and no matter what it is that you do, I accept you. In my eyes, you can't get any better; all I see is Christ's righteousness when I look at you.."
Not that I'm trying to speak for the Lord, but I think He'd say something like that. It's an amazing thing, to be loved in acceptance, and to be accepted in love.
--Pray for Spain. Pray that the Lord would raise up missionaries and native Spaniards to take the gospel to the millions of lost souls in Spain.--
awesome kyle! Although it doesn't totally relate to the entire post, I read 1 Peter 3:15 and 16 today...it reminded me of the love and acceptance theme, "...but set apart the Messiah as Lord in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. However, do this with gentleness and respect, keeping your conscience clear, so that when you are accused, those who dennounce your Christian life will be put to shame." It just reminds me that we must be loving and gentle and accepting as Christ was for us!
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