Originally shared on Facebook, Sept. 26, 2015
Scripture Memory Verse Challenge - Week #3
Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.
– John 1:12
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OK, here comes more honesty.
It took me awhile to memorize this one. It just wasn't sticking in my head. Yes, looking at it and reading it of course I knew it logically, have always heard it but didn't really have a deeper understanding of it. So I did a little research, as a librarian might, and read some commentaries.
And here it is, the beautiful thing is that we don't have to be born into a sp
ecific family to have a relationship with God. All we have to do is "receive" or accept who He is, and believe He is a God of amazing grace, love, and redemption, we are then accepted into His family. And there is no greater family that we can be born into with an inheritance better than any amount of money that we could be given.
Here's the best part, we don't have to have his approval because He already approves us. Even though we are flawed and fail often, He wants us to take His gift without having to earn it. Which is certainly a challenge for me, if I can be transparent, because it seems in life we should have to work hard at something to get whatever it is. In this case, the most important one of all, all we have to do is "take His beautiful gift." I'm working on this or better yet I should not work at it at all, and just accept.
Any thoughts from you are certainly welcome.
Scripture Memory Verse Challenge - Week #3
Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.
– John 1:12
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OK, here comes more honesty.
It took me awhile to memorize this one. It just wasn't sticking in my head. Yes, looking at it and reading it of course I knew it logically, have always heard it but didn't really have a deeper understanding of it. So I did a little research, as a librarian might, and read some commentaries.
And here it is, the beautiful thing is that we don't have to be born into a sp
ecific family to have a relationship with God. All we have to do is "receive" or accept who He is, and believe He is a God of amazing grace, love, and redemption, we are then accepted into His family. And there is no greater family that we can be born into with an inheritance better than any amount of money that we could be given.
Here's the best part, we don't have to have his approval because He already approves us. Even though we are flawed and fail often, He wants us to take His gift without having to earn it. Which is certainly a challenge for me, if I can be transparent, because it seems in life we should have to work hard at something to get whatever it is. In this case, the most important one of all, all we have to do is "take His beautiful gift." I'm working on this or better yet I should not work at it at all, and just accept.
Any thoughts from you are certainly welcome.