May 22nd, 22

 FULLY CONVINCED

Our readings today are II Chronicles 6-7, Psalm 135, and Romans 4.  We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Abraham was fully convinced of God’s ability to do whatever he promised.  He believed and trusted that God favored and loved him, before and beyond anything he could do for God.  In other words, God’s love comes to us before we can ever earn it.  His love comes from His character and who He is.  It’s not based on my character and who I am.  And that’s what we’re invited to believe.  That faith that justifies us, can be so hard to grasp sometimes, when, in the world’s economy, love, favor and approval all seemed to be things that are earned.  It’s hard, sometimes, to believe that you are loved and favored by God, not because of something you’ve done, but because of who he is.  The full import of that unearned love is felt and seen in the life of Jesus, the Son, who lived and offered himself up for us.  Jesus’ life, teaching and ultimate sacrifice, declare that we are loved by God, apart from anything we could do to merit His approval.  

Abraham was convinced of this.  But that conviction didn’t happen overnight.  It didn’t juut arrive all at once, without reservation.  Abraham’s conviction was learned.  He was convinced as He walked with God, taking one step after another.  And these steps led him into a deeper and deeper conviction that God is good and that his love for us is faithful, even when we are not faithful.  

God’s love for us is not dependent on our performance.  It’s based upon his character that is seen in the face of Jesus.  Grow in your conviction as you journey with Abraham, and all those who are discovering that God loves us before and beyond anything we could do for him. Take one more step in that journey, of being fully convinced that God is able.  He wants you to believe and trust that He is good and that he loves you, before anything that you could ever do and beyond anything that you could ever imagine.  Take another step toward being fully convinced of God’s love for you.

You are loved!