This morning I began my study in the book of Hebrews in the Bible. I read the notes in the Life Application Study Bible on Hebrews 1:1, and it speaks about how God, through the centuries has spoken through and to many.
The fact that He revealed Himself through Jesus, is astonishing. This is how the notes read:
"it was astonishing for them to think that God had revealed Himself by speaking through His Son, Jesus Christ." Tyndale (2012-02-17). Life Application Study Bible NIV (Kindle Locations 181451-181452). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Kindle Edition.
I want to ponder this thought. I do not want the fact that God wants to reveal Himself, not just His Words, to become commonplace in my life. I want to stay astonished.
I want to be in awe that God cares. God loves. God seeks us out. We don't have to go looking for Him, He is always calling to us. If we quiet ourselves and our busy brains enough, we can finally hear what is called His Still, Small Voice. He isn't shouting. He is a Whisper. A Knowing. An Experience.
He is active in this world. So many say, if He is active, then why the mess? He predicted the mess because He knows us. He, sadly, is aware of what we are capable. (Yup, that's the way you say it). And He knows we need Him. Too bad most of us don't figure that out until we are practically on our death bed.
Death. Our death. His death. Perishing in order for life to regenerate. Real Life. True Life. The Way, the Truth and the Life.
Jesus expressed it like this: just like a seed has to die, so we have to die to what we think we want and know, then the seed that is us can sprout into new life.
New beginnings from old 'has beens'. I 'has been' a lot of things, but I didn't start living until that old 'has been' died inside of me. It was put to death on my cross that Jesus hung from. It was my cross, not the cross or His cross. My cross. I belonged there, my punishment was overdue.
A miracle happened. Jesus stepped in and said, I'll take the punishment for her. She can go free.
The amplified translation of Jesus words recorded in John 8:36, expresses it well: "If the Son makes you free, then you are unquestionably free." Free. Your sentence has been removed, expunged, obliterated. No guilt. No shame. Freedom without obligation. We don't have to do anything or be anything. We just have to accept the fact that we are free.
Jesus words recorded in Luke 7:47, The Message:
"If the forgiveness is minimal, the gratitude is minimal.”
So if the forgiveness is great, then the gratefulness is over the top! We aren't obligated, we WANT to do something! God won't love us any more when we do things or any less if we don't do things. He just wants us to believe Him.
I think about when I was a kid and my parents would warn me, don't touch the hot stove, it will burn you. Well, did I listen? Nope. Had to touch. So when God says, believe ME, I know what's best, it takes everything in us to not do it our way instead. We have to be burned over and over again to finally get it, and then we don't always get it. Stubborn, Stubborn, Stubborn.
When we finally run out of ourselves, we give up. We look up. And then, and only then, can we be astonished.
The fact that He revealed Himself through Jesus, is astonishing. This is how the notes read:
"it was astonishing for them to think that God had revealed Himself by speaking through His Son, Jesus Christ." Tyndale (2012-02-17). Life Application Study Bible NIV (Kindle Locations 181451-181452). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Kindle Edition.
I want to ponder this thought. I do not want the fact that God wants to reveal Himself, not just His Words, to become commonplace in my life. I want to stay astonished.
I want to be in awe that God cares. God loves. God seeks us out. We don't have to go looking for Him, He is always calling to us. If we quiet ourselves and our busy brains enough, we can finally hear what is called His Still, Small Voice. He isn't shouting. He is a Whisper. A Knowing. An Experience.
He is active in this world. So many say, if He is active, then why the mess? He predicted the mess because He knows us. He, sadly, is aware of what we are capable. (Yup, that's the way you say it). And He knows we need Him. Too bad most of us don't figure that out until we are practically on our death bed.
Death. Our death. His death. Perishing in order for life to regenerate. Real Life. True Life. The Way, the Truth and the Life.
Jesus expressed it like this: just like a seed has to die, so we have to die to what we think we want and know, then the seed that is us can sprout into new life.
New beginnings from old 'has beens'. I 'has been' a lot of things, but I didn't start living until that old 'has been' died inside of me. It was put to death on my cross that Jesus hung from. It was my cross, not the cross or His cross. My cross. I belonged there, my punishment was overdue.
A miracle happened. Jesus stepped in and said, I'll take the punishment for her. She can go free.
The amplified translation of Jesus words recorded in John 8:36, expresses it well: "If the Son makes you free, then you are unquestionably free." Free. Your sentence has been removed, expunged, obliterated. No guilt. No shame. Freedom without obligation. We don't have to do anything or be anything. We just have to accept the fact that we are free.
Jesus words recorded in Luke 7:47, The Message:
"If the forgiveness is minimal, the gratitude is minimal.”
So if the forgiveness is great, then the gratefulness is over the top! We aren't obligated, we WANT to do something! God won't love us any more when we do things or any less if we don't do things. He just wants us to believe Him.
I think about when I was a kid and my parents would warn me, don't touch the hot stove, it will burn you. Well, did I listen? Nope. Had to touch. So when God says, believe ME, I know what's best, it takes everything in us to not do it our way instead. We have to be burned over and over again to finally get it, and then we don't always get it. Stubborn, Stubborn, Stubborn.
When we finally run out of ourselves, we give up. We look up. And then, and only then, can we be astonished.
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