HONORING THE PRIVILEGE 

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. – 1 John 3:1  

            Imagine the ways in which God has “lavished” His love on us.  We were created in His image.  The earth was designed not only to sustain us but it has beauty for our enjoyment.  Then, after sin messed us and our earth up, God expressed His redeeming love in Christ Jesus and welcomes us back into His family if we will accept the invitation.  Eternal fellowship with the Living God and unending blessings are ours to enjoy.  When we allow God to be our Father, we are instructed to call Him Aba (“Daddy”), and He makes us His children and assumes responsibility to care for us and keep loving us.  What a deal!   

          So why are we so determined to break His heart.  It seems so easy distrust Him and try the fun things with which the deceiver tempts us.  Sin is not so much a breaking of a law as it is an affront to God’s Love.  The writer to the Hebrews shows us a clear picture when he says that when we sin again we  ...are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. – Heb 6:6b   

          Once we have experience the love of God “lavished” on us, you would think that the cheap thrills and boring options the world offers would no longer be alluring to us.  And yet it seems that there is a tendency to want to sin a little bit.  Again in Hebrews we read, If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.  – Heb 10:26  

           Now that doesn’t mean that if you mess up there is no hope.  It only says that God has lavished His love on us fully in Christ Jesus and His atoning work on the cross.  There isn’t another way or something better.  So, don’t trample His love into the ground.  Live worthy by trusting Him and delighting to please Him.  Enjoy the special relationship, the Eternal fellowship and the infinite blessings that only He offers.  Then share this Good News with everyone who will listen. 

–Pastor Ron