loved

Eternal Comfort

/ RedeemedInGrace / 2 Comments

“May Your unfailing love be my comfort, according to Your promise to Your servant.” -Psalm 119:76

Comfort. Who doesn’t desire comfort? We enjoy creature comforts such as a cozy blanket, a hot cup of coffee, a warm fire and “comfort” food. But the comfort the psalmist refers to is the deepest kind of comfort which reaches the soul. It is a spiritual comfort only the Lord can provide. This is an assurance of God’s love, like how a mother holds her young child close, whispering a calming hush over them. The little one settles into her security, knowing he is loved and taken care of. If we know how to love like this, how much more does God love His own children? It is rich, deep and incomprehensible. God has promised such love in His Word. 

The climax of the Father’s professed devotion took place after the psalmist’s life, on the cross at Calvary. But this psalmist could still look back at God’s past faithfulness of promises fulfilled for a confident hope in future graces. He sees himself as a servant to the One True King whom he saw from a distance. If David penned this psalm, then he also knew he was the forerunner to the Great Messiah.

God uses our afflictions as mentioned in the previous verse to bring us comfort in Him. Sometimes He allows pain in our lives to get our focus off of the worldly distractions and look up. He is our Refuge and desires to be just that for His children. His heart is to gather His lambs into His arms and hold them close, whispering a calming hush of love and assurance over every single sheep. 

Rest in the beautiful love Christ has for you, sealed with His own blood. If you are in Christ, let your eternal freedom comfort you today.

Grace upon grace,

April

Grow deeper: Isaiah 40; Hebrews 11:13-16; 38-40

Wholly Loved

/ RedeemedInGrace / 1 Comment

Exodus 19:1-15; Psalm 27:7-14; Matthew 22:34-23:12

 

“I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” Psalm 27:13-14

God calls His Bride, the Church, to be set apart, as a holy people. We are to “conduct [ourselves] in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ” (Philippians 1:27). How can we live perfectly holy before an Awesome God? Well, we can’t. This is actually good news for us. It is exactly why Jesus sacrificed Himself on the cross to make a way for wayward people like you and me. We cannot clean ourselves up or ever be good enough- there’s a hole in our holiness. Even if we reform the outside, our hearts are dead apart from God. We are no more than a whitewashed tomb.

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In our Exodus passage, God commands Moses to tell the people of Israel to prepare themselves before entering the Lord’s presence. They were to wash their clothes and consecrate themselves so by the third day they would be ready. Under the New Covenant we have Christ’s Presence always with us as His children. He did the work of making us righteous and presentable before a Holy God.

Jesus does not denounce our lack, weaknesses, or limitations. He tenderly tells those who belong to Him they are condemned no more. The indwelling Holy Spirit patiently teaches us how to live in holiness, as we learn to operate out of God’s power and not our flesh. Our Father promises to not give up on what He’s started in you and me, to make us more like Christ (Philippians 1:6). We can be confident we will see Jesus face to face one day in the land of those who’ve really lived. You are His treasure, holy and loved, wholly loved.

 

Grace upon grace,

April