Thinking like Him....

I read a profound statement on the back of a book today. "God wants to redeem you, not exchange you." (John Ortberg) When reading that statement I swear my toes curled and I grew a couple of inches. Statements like that continue to unlock something inside of me. I actually come away feeling like God not only loves me but likes me. Imagine that!

The unspoken laws of legalism seem to come with the understanding that I am a worm and should feel like one at least nine-tenths of every day. What man made rules never seem to take into account is that I am a created being. Yup created, by God Himself. As I was thinking about this truth (Psalm 139) I had my own profound thought. "When God created me, I don't think He had my "sin nature" in mind."

It makes me wonder more deeply, just how God thinks about these things. I need to know because His is the only perspective that matters. I know "He knit me together" and "knew every one of my days before I had lived a single one", but what was on His mind? Was He thinking of every failure He knew I would make? Every sin that would plague me? My thorns in the flesh?

Personally, I think God is a bigger God than that. I think perhaps He saw the shed blood of Jesus over my life and knew between how He made me and Jesus' blood, I had limitless potential. But how do I attain it? By thinking what He thinks. By everyday "throwing off the weights which so easily beset me." Renewing my mind, if you will.

Folks, we need to quit beating ourselves up. I think we will grow deeper in Christ and actually flourish if we will begin to come into agreement with God. Song of Solomon 1:5 says, "I am dark but lovely to God." We are so quick to acknowledge our sin and shortcomings and we should be, (1 John 2:1-2) but we should also acknowledge at least equally if not more..... I am lovely to God. In the original Hebrew that word lovely means; lovely, fitting, suited which means God thinks all those things about you and me. Lovely to God....doesn't this thought bring joy?

What leads me to sin? The Law. It's very purpose was to point out the fact of sin and how we cannot overcome without the shed blood of Jesus. But with the shed blood of Christ..... limitless potential and the ability to bear much fruit for His glory (John 15:8).

As I deal with my junk I am going to remember, "God wants to redeem you, not exchange you." I'll think on that for awhile.