His masterpiece.
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10)
Do you find it hard to accept compliments about your beauty or worthiness? Compliments immediately make you think of the imperfections about yourself that would disqualify you from being beautiful. I can’t be beautiful, do you see this stomach? I can’t be deserving of this promotion, they’ve been here longer than me. I can’t be used by You, God, don’t you remember that mistake I made yesterday? By blocking compliments, blessings, and opportunities, do we think we’re doing God a service? Do we think He’ll give us a gold star for essentially calling Him a liar? You see, God Himself has called you beautiful. He has chosen you and set you apart. He has justified, qualified, anointed, and equipped you. Who are you to disagree? Who am I?
I think part of the problem is that we tend to judge beauty in the eyes of what people have or have not said about us. In seeking the affirmation of culture, family members, and potential partners, we can fall into the trap of putting human opinion over God’s truth. I was talking to a friend a little while ago and God revealed this perspective. I’m not beautiful because of necessarily anything about me, but I’m beautiful because of WHO made me. It’s like how we attribute value to things based on who the designer is. The bag could be ugly but if Louis Vuitton made it, it will be deemed beautiful. We should think the same way. I might have flaws and imperfections; I might not be for everyone, but the Creator of the universe made me by hand! The same God who created the sunrises and sunsets that we marvel at also created the sparkle in my eye when I get passionate about a topic. The same God that created the unique fingerprint in a zebra’s stripes, created the unique fingerprint that differs even between twins! You are beautiful! Not because anyone chose to put you in a magazine, but because God only makes beautiful things. Stop focusing on you, and focus on WHO.
Prayer
God, You do all things well. The enemy would love to get me to focus on all the things I would like to change about myself, but today I want to focus on You. I want to focus on the attention you pay to details like the number of hairs on my head. I want to pay attention to the fact that You created man with your own hand. I want to pay attention to the fact that you personally oversaw the way my cells came together in my mother’s womb. I am Your handiwork! I love You more than nitpicking at insignificant imperfections. You said it was good; I believe you.
Worry about yourself.
“Don’t compare yourself with others. Just look at your own work to see if you have done anything to be proud of.” (Galatians 6:4)
Driving between two cars always stresses me out! If I glance out the window and think the other car is super close, I may dramatically veer off into the left lane. I completely forget that 9 times out of 10 I’m safe in my lane. In fact, when I wrongfully perceive that there is danger and veer to the left, now I’m intruding into someone else’s lane! Every time I do it, I hear God whisper to me: keep your eyes forward.
I wonder how often this same scenario is replicated in multiple areas of life. You’re so excited about the passion project God has been developing in you, but then you glance over at your friend’s project. Suddenly your project feels insignificant and small, and as you begin to overcorrect, suddenly you are out of alignment yourself. You were content and excited for the new God-ordained relationship until the #relationshipgoals couples seemed to have something you didn’t. Now you’re resenting the thing you prayed for! God, free us from comparison! Its not enough to physically stay in your lane, but block your vision off as well. This verse is proof that the Bible truly has a solution for every scenario we face. If you have to look at someone else’s progress to convince yourself of success, that is not success at all. At the same time, failing to celebrate accomplishments because someone else appears to be further is also insufficient. If you want to compare yourself to a standard, Christ is the only worthy example. Now we will spend our entire lives trying to be like Christ, so do not be discouraged. There is grace for your process! The key is to stay focused on your process.
Prayer:
Dad, I need your help in this area. Comparison is sometimes as natural as breathing. Please help me to be content with the race and resources you have given me. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Free indeed.
“Then Jesus straightened up and asked her, ‘Woman, where are your accusers? Has no one condemned you?’. ’No one, Lord,’ she answered. ‘Then neither do I condemn you,’ Jesus declared. ‘Now go and sin no more.’” (John 8:10-11)
Imagine a horse tied to a fence post. The horse has been tied so long that it doesn’t realize when its master cuts the rope, and instead stays near the post for the rest of its life. That sounds silly, but it’s what a lot of us look like! The Word of God tells us that we are no longer bound to our sinful nature, and yet sometimes we remain tied to the ways of our pasts. The Bible says that if the Son (Jesus) sets you free, you are free indeed! Deeds are actions, which means that our actions should reflect our free status. Instead, how many of us can admit that sometimes of our actions look a little like we’re still tied to the post?
In this story of the woman caught in adultery, we see a beautiful picture of the character of Jesus. We learn 3 things:
Jesus rescues us from our accusers- even though the woman was wrong, Jesus came to her aid and rescued her from the punishment of man. He does the same for you and me! The Bible tells us that the devil is our accuser, pointing out our wrongs to God “day and night”(Revelation 12:10). However, the very next verse encourages us to know that we will ultimately overcome the enemy “by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony”.
Jesus did not come to condemn- scripture tells us that Jesus was not sent into the world to condemn it, but to be the doorway for the lost to be found by God.
Jesus does not leave us the way he finds us- Jesus did not simply rescue the woman in that moment and release her back into her old way of life. Nor did he simply pour grace on her and justify her sin. He sets the example of the kind of grace that causes life change. Only the love of God can change a heart.
Today I declare that you will begin to live your life from a place of freedom, not for freedom. Christ already paid for your freedom in full on the cross. Now I am not naive enough to say that once you accept Christ you will never stumble again. I am saying that you now have an extra source of strength! The Holy Spirit is working within you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases God; you don’t have to do it on your own! You only need to decide in your heart to turn away from an enslaved mindset, and your actions will follow. If you are reading this and feel like the horse that is tied to the post, unable to truly walk in freedom, this is for you! If you know you’ve been freed, but have been waiting on a magical moment of never sinning again, this is also for you (that won’t happen until Jesus comes back)! If you were waiting on a sign, here it is.
Be free and sin no more.
Lessons from Kindergarten
As a Kindergarten teacher, my students’ actions preach to me without them doing anything out of the ordinary. On one specific occasion, I was welcoming my students into class to start our day. As always, I reviewed the 5 things they needed to do in order to be prepared for the day: backpacks away, jackets in cubbies, etc. As I was waiting for the students to finish their part, I noticed students repeatedly coming to ask questions- unrelated questions. I responded to the first little boy: “have you done your 5 things yet? Finish what I told you to do first, then come find me.” Almost as soon as the words had left my mouth, I felt God say “exactly.”
How many times do we receive instructions from the Holy Spirit for tasks to complete in areas such as relationships, finances, ministry, and service to the church or community and we respond with delayed obedience? Not only do we fail to respond with immediate action, we continue to pray and give God our requests and concerns. If we are met with heavenly silence, we find ourselves frustrated and angry with God, wondering if God heard us or even cares. The truth is that He does care (1 Peter 5:7), but Leviticus 26:3 and 2 Chronicles 7:14 remind us that some moves of God are waiting on our action. I had to humble myself and remember that God is all mighty and all powerful. He is God of the universe, and I am His child. Pride told me that I could continue to make demands on heaven without first completing His instructions.
Minutes later, that same student came back after completing his 5 tasks, and I loved hearing about the new game he had received the night before. I never loved him any less or lost my desire to hear what was important to him, but I knew the things I had planned for the rest of his day required him to be fully prepared to learn before shifting his focus elsewhere. Our heavenly Father is even more concerned with the details of our lives! He wants to hear our ideas and concerns; He wants to talk with us and give us insight into our lives. More importantly, though, he wants to accomplish His purpose through us so that the fullness of His kingdom can be manifested on Earth.
What about you? Are there areas that you are waiting for God to move in but you have not yet finished your instructions? Do not be shamed and discouraged! Let this serve as a reminder to finish your task, and then watch as your Heavenly father responds to your obedience.
Prayer:
Hey Dad. I thank you for speaking to me today. I confess that there are times when you have told me to do something, but I put my agenda above my obedience. I am sorry. I thank you for the grace to complete what You told me to do, and I thank You that you will withhold no good thing from me (Psalm 84:11). I love you more than my plan. In Jesus’ name, amen.
The secret to juggling…
“Casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully].” (1 Peter 5:7, AMP)
If you’ve ever watched a juggling act, you know how important it is for the juggler not to drop any of the objects, while also adding additional objects. One source says “the secret to juggling is throwing”. We can often feel like more and more “balls” are added to our life’s juggling routine daily. Somehow, before you master the demanding job, the new friend group, or the season of life, a sickness or financial wild card is added. You may have finally managed to spend regular time with God every day and then, boom, a new responsibility at church. Let’s face it, life is constantly demanding that we learn to juggle. Externally and internally, the perceived consequences of a failure to perfectly keep everything in orbit is an unbearable pressure.
The secret is throwing.
Just like a professional juggler, the secret is not catching better, but throwing well. A juggler knows exactly where to throw each ball so it lands in their hand precisely. Peter advises us in today’s passage to “[throw] your cares on [Jesus] for he cares for you.” When you are a believer in Christ, it is not on you alone to balance all of the “cares” of this life (emotions, fears, responsibilities, relationships, etc.). Often, we read the familiar verse 7, forgetting that casting our cares is made possible only after verse six’s humility command. You see, I can only throw my cares to God when I’m willing to admit that I need him. Humility first, juggling second.
Are you overwhelmed by the cares you juggle each day? Have you been discouraged and exhausted in your attempts to keep it all going in your own strength? Today, Jesus invites you to toss them to him. It may not go away, but you won’t bear it alone.
Prayer:
Father God, I need you. I can tell I have been trying to juggle everything alone because no amount of sleep has been enough to bring me true rest. This is too heavy for me to carry by myself. Thank you that I can cast my cares on you. Today I humble myself and pray that you would walk with me through each moment. There will never be a season where I don’t need you. I love you more than my illusion of independence. In Jesus’ name, amen.