Thursday the 2nd

Romans 15: ⁷ Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

 

How have you been accepted by Christ? Have you felt that loving, sweet embrace of forgiveness wash over you? The cleanliness that comes form being washed in the blood of Christ? It is a feeling like no other, the moment you realize that Christ has given you forgiveness, a feeling of peace, hope, and  love, yet charged with excitement, intensity, and power. You are calm, yet electrified at the same time. That my friends is complete acceptance, that is complete forgiveness, and that is the power of true unconditional, unyielding, undying, love. That is how we are accepted by Christ. The next question is a little harder….how do we accept others? One might be inclined to say well we do not get the same satisfaction from human acceptance, and we certainly cannot give that pure of acceptance to someone else…..we are after all, human. I would say that we can get close, a lot closer than we do now. Think of the first time you told your significant other that you loved them. Remember that look in their eyes? Remember the love that flowed, remember the feeling of true acceptance? How about the time that you achieved something and the acceptance you felt by your family? The outpouring of joy, love, and hope? The feeling of true acceptance…..was that not electrifying as well? Better yet, what about your last failure, did you not meet with that same love and acceptance from those that love you? We are capable of accepting each other just as Christ accepted us, we are capable of giving others that same security that we find in Christ. How is that possible? Simple……Christ lives in each one of us. We are the body of Christ, we are the Church. Not bound by religious doctrine, or some affiliation, but the true, living, breathing, manifestation of Christ here on earth today. He has given us each the capacity to love just as he does, to forgive just as He did, and to accept others, just as He did. So why struggle to accept not just those around you, but everyone? As this scripture reminds us, it brings praise to God. So if we do not accept then what do we bring to God? Nothing…..We cannot praise God in one breath, then despise our brother in the next. We cannot carry the banner of Christ out into the world, then use that banners pole as a spear. We must have open hearts to all, and when we are shunned, we leave, not hate. Is it hard? Yes. Does it hurt sometimes? Yes. Will you be turned on, and ridiculed? I can almost promise you that yes you will. But these are not reasons to withhold, they are all the more proof that we must push ahead. Christ never backed down, or ran when people persecuted Him. He did not hide when they searched for Him. He hung on the cross in the ultimate show of commitment to the cause of Love for His Father, and love for us. As we enter in to the Christmas season, let us all stoke the fires of Christ in our hearts, let us commit to accept, not just a few, but all who would come to us. Let us make this Christmas season a season or giving praise to God. Let that praise be reflective of our acceptance of each other.

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

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www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

 

www.theworkweekwithchrist.blogspot.com