We’ve Got Nothing Left To Prove
When I started my worship playlist this morning during my walk, the first song that popped up was He Knows My Name by Francesca Battistelli.
What a great way to start my walk with these lyrics:
I don’t need my name in lights
I’m famous in my Father’s eyes
Make no mistake
He knows my name
I’m not living for applause
I’m already so adored
It’s all His stage
He knows my name
Even though I already know this truth, I never get tired of hearing it again. In fact, before long I was sort of dancing down the street – not just walking. I don’t know if anyone driving by could tell, but I was definitely dancing on the inside!
And then these lyrics:
He calls me chosen, free forgiven, wanted, child of the King
His forever, held in treasure
I am loved
Whenever I sing the phrase I am loved it’s like everything shifts into slow motion for me as I truly take in those words. This is exactly what happened on January 2nd, 2012 when God stepped into my life in such a powerful way by showing me a revelation of His great and unconditional love for me. That story, as well as what happened to me as a result of that day is in my book, I Tried Until I Almost Died.
The good news is, God loves every one of us the same. He wants you to have a revelation of His love too!
I think there are still so many Christians who don’t realize the transformational power of God’s love in their lives. I say this because I’ve heard some Christians say that “personally understanding God’s love is just letter A in the alphabet – it’s just the baby stage, etc.”
Nothing could be further from the truth.
My friend, God’s love for us is the entire alphabet.
Ephesians 3:18-19 say,
18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. (NLT)
I love how the Apostle Paul told the Ephesians that he wanted them to experience the width, length, height and depth of God’s love; yet, at the same time he reminded them that it is too great to understand fully.
What that says to me is, keep discovering the facets and the depths and the riches of God’s love because you’re never going to come to a point on this earth where you can say, I understand it perfectly, I’m finished now, I can go on to the next thing.
I’ve been on this grace journey for 5.5 years now and I can tell you that I absolutely felt the love of God surrounding me like an electric blanket this morning. I didn’t do anything special to feel His love. I just decided to receive it…once again.
Personally receiving God’s love in a very conscious way is something I do every single day and I encourage you to do the same!
Yesterday I had a rough day, behavior-wise. I can’t even remember what happened yesterday morning which is good. That proves that I’m not sin-conscious and us Jesus Followers are not suppose to be living sin-conscious in the New Covenant. We’re suppose to live Jesus-conscious.
I’m not saying we should be in denial about our sin, when we do sin. I’m saying we should not be keeping an ongoing record of all the things we’ve done wrong, like I used to. Man, I had myself on my mind constantly back then.
Now I have my mind on Jesus and how I am continually cleansed because of His blood!
This reminds me of an encouraging email reply I sent someone last night. This girl is coming into a revelation of God’s grace so I said:
Keep going girl. Continue in God’s grace. Keep listening to messages full of the good news. Keep reading books full of the good news. Keep reading the Bible through the lens of grace! Keep believing God loves you unconditionally and He will never leave you nor forsake you. Keep believing you are righteous in Christ because Jesus traded your sin for His righteousness. Keep believing you are forever forgiven. You cannot lose if you refuse to stop believing the good news. Keep on believing!!!!!!!
It’s fun being Jesus-conscious!
Back to my story about my rough day yesterday. I do still remember what happened last night. I got frustrated with my daughter Angel instead of staying calm in a specific situation.
I know I’m suppose to be providing a safe place for my girls in every way, even when they make mistakes. I do provide a safe place physically, but sometimes I could do better with this emotionally – meaning I need to not let their attitudes get me upset and start raising my voice, saying things I shouldn’t, etc.
Well guess what, I am so much more stable in this area than I used to be and I believe 100% that it is because I am constantly welcoming in God’s grace. I’m constantly allowing Him to love me, even when I haven’t “been good” in the natural.
Have you made a habit of receiving God’s grace no matter what kind of day you’re having? If not, you need to because it’s by you receiving God’s grace, His unmerited favor, that you’re changed from the inside out.
This is why I have said many times in the past 5.5 years on my grace journey that I feel like my spiritual life has taken off like a rocket. It’s because I refuse to give into guilt and condemnation and instead I drive the devil crazy by just continuing to receive God’s unmerited favor (His grace) on the good days and the bad days.
How could I dance down the street this morning during my walk after having gotten frustrated with my daughter last night, saying things I shouldn’t have?
I did it because I already know I’m forgiven for all of my sins, perfectly loved by my heavenly Father and righteous in Christ…NO MATTER WHAT! My position in Christ does not change based on my behavior and neither does yours.
My friend, I know that Jesus is my only hope for change and I refuse to go into self-effort mode, trying to fix myself. I did that for the first 34 years of my Christian life and I failed miserably.
On the other hand, for the past 5.5 years I have come into such a rest and peace as I’ve stopped trying to change myself in my own strength and instead learned how to relax and allow Jesus to live His life in and through me. My goodness, what a glorious journey this has been.
Did you notice the second part of Ephesians 3:19 – the result of discovering the greatness of God’s love:
Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. (NLT)
Oh yes it does say that and I missed it for years. You should have heard me the day I really saw this good news for the first time. I was loud!
I’m not even wondering a little bit if I’m going to become more stable in this area of my parenting. I went to the throne of grace to receive God’s help in my time of need last night. There is no way I can keep from becoming more stable since I am allowing the Holy Spirit to do the work of change and produce His fruit in me and through me!
See here:
Philippians 1:6 says,
being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.(NIV)
and…
Galatians 2:20 says,
I have been crucified with Christ [that is, in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body I live by faith [by adhering to, relying on, and completely trusting] in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.(AMP)
and…
John 1:12 says,
But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the authority (power, privilege, right) to become the children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name. (AMPC)
I recall so clearly after that glorious day on January 2nd, 2012 that I felt like a little kid in knowing God’s love for me. This has continued for 5.5 years and I believe a big part of me continuing to experience this is because, as I said before, I continue to receive God’s grace toward me on the good days and the bad days.
There is one more reason I was dancing down the street this morning as well. God has opened some doors of opportunity for me that I will be sharing with you as they get closer. Can’t wait!
But the thing that was so exciting to me this morning was knowing that I don’t need these opportunities to feel good about myself. If everything changed tomorrow I could and would still dance down the street because I have Jesus and Jesus is everything I need! He’s everything you need too. I have a wonderful relationship with my heavenly Father. I’m God’s girl and that’s all I need. The same goes for you!
We’ve Got Nothing Left To Prove
We don’t need our name in lights
We’re famous in our Father’s eyes
Make no mistake
He knows our name
We’re not living for applause
We’re already so adored
It’s all His stage
He knows our name
If you have not yet made Jesus your Savior and received the wonderful joy that His finished work on the cross has provided for you to live in, please visit my page here titled Jesus In The Driver’s Seat. On this page I explain the good news of the gospel and you will have the opportunity to pray a prayer of salvation, making Jesus your Savior! Jesus loves you and His arms are wide open!
Sandra McCollom
