2 Tim 1:9 He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace.
So often we feel disqualified from God’s love, acceptance and approval by our flaws and failures. Why would He want me, after all I have done, or what I have become? But His call on our lives has nothing to do with what we have done or become. It is all about HIS plan and HIS purpose, accomplished by HIS power.
We have nothing of value to offer Him on our own. Everything good that we do have came from Him anyway. He already knows all of this. The reason we have a problem with this is because everyone else’s version of love has been based on merit and us having to earn it. God knew beforehand that we could never earn His love, so that has never even been an issue.
He created us with His purpose, according to His perfect plan, and continues to empower us by His grace (His supernatural power in our life that enables us to obey Him). THESE are the things that give us value, and define who we are and what makes us a success. Doing things perfectly is not what qualified us – being saved by placing our faith in Him is what qualified us. There is absolutely nothing that hinders us from walking in our calling but our own fear of messing up and failing.
If God does not expect perfection from you, why do you expect perfection from yourself? He simply calls you to be holy, which means set apart for Him, with your aim being to live by His standards. And what are His standards? To believe and trust in Him, and to express that faith through love for God, others and yourself. You are already made holy by your faith, now let that holiness be walked out in your everyday life.
QUESTIONS FOR THE DAY:
1. What flaws and failures have you believed disqualify you from living for God? Why?
2. If God doesn’t care about those flaws and failures, and knew you would have them before He even called you to serve Him, why do you?
3. If you had absolutely no flaws and failures, what would you do to serve Him?