"For you are not pleased with sacrifices."...(Pslam 51:3)
There is nothing you could do in the future to cause God to love you more than he loves you right now.
I see many, including myself, living the "gospel of works." If we say enough prayers,
fast 2x a week, give to the poor, work for peace, justice and life then we can somehow
gain the love of our God. It is a mind set that we must first do this and this and this,
and then we will finally be good enough for God to love us. God's love, then, becomes conditional.
If we do good it causes him to love us so we spend our time in sacrifice and good works trying
to earn his attention, time, approval and affection.
The problem with the "gospel of works" is that it does not work - it is not the truth of who God is for us.
We cannot make God love us. And we cannot make him love us more. And he cannot have a greater love for us
in the future than he has for us RIGHT NOW! His love for you is there for the asking RIGHT NOW! You don't
have to do anything to prove that you are good enough to receive his love. It IS. And it IS for you. NOW.
RIGHT NOW! You are loved exactly how you are, RIGHT NOW! This, my friends, is called the "Gospel of Grace."
His love is a gift to be received - you cannot earn it. It is closer to you than the air you breathe. All
you have to do is say "Yes" to his love which is with you RIGHT NOW! Grace waits to wash over you.
How are you, right now? What is your suffering? Sin? Guilt? God wants to help and heal and love.
You do not have to be good before he will love you. Just be as you are. He loves you as you are.
Put the brakes on right now and let God love you as you are. Do not rush through this. Take some quiet
time and pray this prayer so that God's love for you, his grace, might be real:
"Lord Jesus, over and over again I have tried to earn your love. It has never worked. I thought I could
win your attention, time, approval and affection if I proved myself good enough for you. It hasn't worked.
Help me to believe that your Gospel is a Gospel of Grace. Your love IS. You love me, as I am, RIGHT NOW.
I know the only way to have your love is to receive it. I come to you as I am and I receive your love, RIGHT NOW.
Teach me that there is nothing I could do in the future to cause you to love me more than you do RIGHT NOW. Amen."
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