Have you ever been so baffled, you didn't know what to do; you were afraid of the future; you'd made a mess of things in the past; you knew you didn't have any credit for good behavior to bolster up your prayers; how could you expect any blessing from the Lord?
Deep in your heart comes this feeling which we all have sometimes--God can't really bless me or even accept me unless I can "produce." Yes, it's fear, and unless you're ready for translation like Enoch or Elijah, you wrestle with it.
Could you dare to believe that the Father condescends to accept you, and that He has done so "in Christ," and even promises you eternal life--without your earning it? Would that be an immoral thing for God to do? Well, He did it for Abraham in Genesis 12:2, 3, in those seven New Covenant promises. And He does it for you. He intends for you to claim them by faith.
Jesus gives you permission to call His Father your Father. Anyone can pray the Lord's prayer. He can also read Psalm 23 and claim the Lord as his Shepherd. God has left His door to His house open for "whosoever will" to dwell there (cf. vs. 6; Rev. 22:17). (If you're trying to win souls, get someone on his knees to pray those prayers!)
How did I get this idea in my mind, or heart? It came through Galatians. Forget your TV or video games or your CDs, and read and appreciate that book. It sounds like a back-door way to understand the New Covenant but it's the way that helped me. The Heavenly Father actually loves you personally! Let Him win your heart, and obedience to His law becomes your delight. Then you "stand fast … in the liberty" Christ gives you (5:1).
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: January 25, 2006.Copyright © 2010 by Robert J. Wieland.
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