August 15, 2008 1/2

1/2

We are Your people, made in your image.

It certainly is an exciting thought. And as You show us Your way in
this, no one is excluded. We are all You people.

Psalm 95: ...7 for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if you hear his voice, 8 do not harden your hearts ...

This is taken out of context but it is so direct. We don't need to walk in the desert for 40 years, approximately 1/2 our lives. But for some reason we do. Screaming, fussing, griping, complaining, obstinate, selfish and the bottom line, all driven by fear. Fear that He won't do what He said He will do, which is leave us and forsake us.

When there is no resistance to His truth, there is rest. God gives us everything we need for life.

The hurt and pain of this life scar and damage us. As damaged, hurt and unprotected children, we carry our fears throughout our lives. The Lord is so softly speaking and non-intrusive, in order to hear His voice and experience His supernatural, unexplainable protection, love and grace, which is always sufficient, we must not resist, we must surrender.

Romans 5:17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. NIV

and the Message...
If death got the upper hand through one man's wrongdoing, can you imagine the breathtaking recovery life makes, sovereign life, in those who grasp with both hands this wildly extravagant life-gift, this grand setting-everything-right, that the one man Jesus Christ provides?

All mankind, all generations, all people have access to His 'abundant provision of grace'. To be able to live this 100% seems impossible since our flesh and mind are always in the way. This 'abundant provsion of grace' is a gift, we can take it or leave it. Whatever portion we choose to receive we will, whatever portion we choose to resist we will. I wouldn't be surprised if each totals to 1/2 of our lives. But even the portion we do choose to receive is abundant. We have not yet experienced 100%, but we will.

Lord, why are we so hard headed? Why do we harden our hearts?

Why do we choose to grasp this with one hand instead of both?

http://static.flickr.com/168/374268661_c63d40d3b5.jpg Video & Song
'Grace' Michael W. Smith
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRXDsbRQNlA