Corona Devo 1205

Do you ever feel (in terms of spiritual salvation) like there has been a mix-up?

Like...if God calls Himself our "Heavenly Father"--then surely someone must have done a switched-at-birth move for me, because I don't exactly fit the "definition" or "value" of son/daughter-of-the-King.  

It's too good to be true, isn't it?  Like an ornately-wrapped present that we're pretty sure wasn't intended to have our name on it.  Maybe other people can unwrap God's gift...but not us.  

Not after the way I... 

Well, I have my ending to that sentence, and you have yours, but both of them equal--unworthy.  Unworthy of God's forgiveness, unworthy to see His Son, Jesus and unworthy to be seen by our Heavenly Father in a favorable way.  

Unworthy.  

Sometimes we act big...we pretend that we are all-that...we talk a good game or put on a great show, but underneath (if you are like me), I know that I am the least of all of those around me, and in fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle/follower/teacher/sharer of Christ.  

Not after the way I _____, well, you know.  

Actually, we don't usually know each other's deepest woes and sins, but that's on purpose, isn't it?  We do-our-best to keep-our-worst under wraps.  We know what we've done and so does God--hence, our (sometimes) feelings of "I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I..."

Hence--our possible (sometimes) feelings of just-not-deserving to see and know Jesus, or to deserve the privilege of knowing Him and serving Him.  We think we can't deserve Him and that God's salvation is a bit too good to be true.

And the truth is--both assertations are correct: we don't deserve God's grace after the way we _____, and the idea of us being worthy to be called an apostle/follower/teacher/sharer of Christ is a bit too good to be true.

But it is true.

And we are not the first ones to find all of this a bit difficult to digest.  Paul felt the exact same (unworthy) way sometimes...and it fueled him to serve God all-the-more.  

~~~

I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. (4) He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. 

(5) He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. (6) After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. (7) Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. 

(8) Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him. (9) For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church.  

(10) But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me—and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace. (11) So it makes no difference whether I preach or they preach, for we all preach the same message you have already believed.  ~I Corinthians 15:1-11

In these verses, Paul explains (in simple terms) the foundations of the Christian faith, and then Paul includes those who saw Jesus after He was resurrected, and Paul shares his astonishment that he was included in that privileged group...and how it changed his life.

These verses are excellent for us today.  Remember afresh the simple truth of our salvation-story.  Christ actually died.  Then he actually rose from the dead.  And then He encountered people for real in their lives.  

He is still encountering people for real and affecting their lives.  You and I are counted in that privileged group.

Many days, we can feel as if there has been a spiritual-salvation mix-up when it comes to us...but God's gift of salvation and righteousness was wrapped up in the life of Christ and we would be fools not to accept what God so freely offers us.

Are we worthy of it?  No.  

In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I...   ~I Corinthians 15:8

But Jesus appears before us anyway.  

And just as it did for Paul--the truth and realization (and appreciation) of what God and his Son did for us had better change our lives.  

But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me—and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace.   ~I Corinthians 15:10

May our acceptance and appreciation for the gift of God's forgiveness over us fuel us to serve God all-the-more today. 

Blessings, 

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com