OK, Then, What Does It Take? Do I Have to Stand on my Head?
Acceptance: Receiving another person willingly, especially when the other person’s behavior has been imperfect. Being willing to continue caring for another in spite of offenses.
Questions: Am I accepted by God? Do I live as a person who is accepted and knows it? Do I truly believe I am accepted? How do I move from unaccepted to accepted?
I heard a preacher say several years ago that, “We can’t even keep our own standards much less be perfect by God’s standards.” He is right! So what does it take for you and me to be acceptable to God our perfect Father?
God knew we could never achieve the status of deserving to be accepted by a holy God. So, do you know what He did?
He became a man, Jesus Christ the Lord, and then came to earth as a baby born of a virgin. This boy grew up to be a man who had never sinned, possible only because He was the Son of God and the Son of Man. Jesus then voluntarily fulfilling prophecy, surrendered himself to be crucified. (1Corinthians 5:21)
Believe it or not , receiving the gift of grace and mercy offered by simple trust in Jesus, receiving Him as your Savior accomplishes for you what you cannot do for yourself or for any body else.
You can continue to ignore, deny, or disbelieve that Jesus Christ is powerful enough a Lord to take away your sins, but any disbelief on our part does not negate His power to save and forgive.
He became sin – your sin and my sin- so that we can be made right with God and acceptable – even accepted.
Do you believe Jesus died for your sins? Do you believe He rose from the dead and did all of it because you are treasure worth dying for? When you know you are accepted by your Father God on the merit of Christ alone, you can now truly accept others and love them even if they fall short of your expectations.
We fell short of God’s requirements; Jesus took us across the finish line. Now give grace to others in the same way God gave grace to you!! What a mighty, gracious God we serve. Thank you, Jesus for all you’ve done!