Month: November 2010

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I Trust You

When He was reviled and insulted, He did not revile or offer insult in return; [when] He was abused and suffered, He made no threats [of vengeance]; but trusted [Himself and everything] to Him Who judges fairly. He personally bore our sins in His [own] body on the tree [as on an altar and offered Himself on it], that we might die (cease to exist) to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed. (1 Peter 2:23-24, Amplified)

I read this scripture yesterday to a family member in need of healing. I usually only read verse 24, but this time I read the preceding verse as well. I stopped for a moment after reading the words “He… trusted Himself…to Him”.

I thought about Jesus being arrested. I thought about Jesus being scourged. I thought about Jesus being nailed to the cross. I thought about Jesus descending into hell in our place. And through it all He trusted Himself to His Father in heaven. Selah.

This world is full of good. This world is full of evil. In the midst of it all we can trust ourselves to Him. Jesus did not expect His heavenly Father to forsake Him, neither should we.

…for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!] (Hebrews 13:5, Amplified)

A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand, but it shall not come near you. (Psalm 91:7, Amplified)

Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on high, because he knows and understands My name [has a personal knowledge of My mercy, love, and kindness–trusts and relies on Me, knowing I will never forsake him, no, never]. (Psalm 91:14, Amplified)

Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully. (1 Peter 5:7, Amplified)

Cast your cares on Him. Trust yourself to Him. He cares for you and He will never forsake you.

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Freely

Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give… (Matthew 10:8, KJV)

In the movie Fireproof, a father tells his son, “You can’t give her what you don’t have.” He was referring to the love of Christ. His son had not received the love offered by God through the sacrifice of His own Son. So this father was telling his son you can’t love her unconditionally if you haven’t received the heavenly Father’s unconditional love for you.

I was thinking about that this morning when the scripture above came to mind. Specifically the part that says, “…freely ye have received, freely give.” Freely receive. That is how we obtain the Father’s unconditional love. We don’t earn it. We don’t work for it. We simply receive what He is offering.

We don’t have to jump through hoops in just the right way to be loved by God. He loves us when we do everything right. He loves us when we do everything wrong. His love is constant. His love is unconditional. His love is freely ours to receive.

Some people worry that when you talk like this it is giving people a license to sin. I have never found anything more powerful for breaking the hold of sin in a person’s life than the power of God’s unconditional love.

Romans 2:4 tells us that the goodness of God leads to repentance. While we were yet sinners Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).

Freely you have received. Stop trying to earn His love and simply receive it.

Freely give. Stop requiring that others earn your love. Freely you have received unconditional love. Freely love others unconditionally. His goodness through you will lead others to repentance.