Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16
Can I ask you something? Have you ever been in love as a young teenager? I was! When I was only fourteen I was head over heels in love with a French boy, the same age. I did not speak French very well in those days, so when he wrote me a letter I had to grab a dictionary and I did not stop looking up the words until I exactly knew what he wanted to tell me.
Over the moon
Maybe this example is not totally accurate, but the same happened when I gave my life over to God. Wow…God loves me! Jesus is my Savior. I am a child of God. I had a tremendous hunger to read the Word of God – as if it was a personal letter, written to me. Yes, I was born and raised in a Christian family and I know most of the stories in the Bible, but now it was different! Yes, it was a little like the letter I received from the French boy: I wanted to know precisely who God was and what He said. I was over the moon to know I received grace and I was hungry for so much more. It deeply touched me as I read:
Come, let us know, let us pursue the knowledge of the LORD. (Hosea 6:3)
That was what I wanted! And I got tears in my eyes as I was reading Isaiah 65:1
“I was sought by those who did not ask for Me; I was found by those who did not seek Me.
I said, ‘Here I am, here I am,’ to a nation that was not called by My name.”
From Genesis to Revelation, again and again God’s heart is reaching out to man, to us, but we rather
want to go our own way. He has given His people so much grace and so much love, but God is waiting for our response, our total surrender to Him, because He is worth it. Sanctification is not some sort of ‘holy obligation’ – a necessity we must respond to…. No, it is because we cannot respond other than show Him our love, no matter the cost. Our identity is in Christ.
[so we ] may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:18-19)
Sanctification
Sanctification begins with hunger for the Word of God and a desire to talk with Him and obey Him – not because we have to, but because we love Him that much. The Holy Spirit who lives within us, helps us and begins to form and mold us… He is not a strict master who will always point out what you do wrong. No, in the process of sanctification He makes you aware of things: ‘Hey, why do I do things this or that way? I should change this, because I want to be more like Jesus.’
And you pray: ‘Lord, forgive me for making these mistakes, but thank You so much that I can make a fresh start and there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Amen’
When this prayer comes from your heart, you will discover that it does not need to be an almost unbearable process to change your life. God knows your heart and will reveal what you can do for Him. And the Holy Spirit is with you and continually prays for you. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. (Romans 8:27-29)
That, my dear sisters, is God’s plan for us… that we may be conformed to the image of His Son!
Do you also want to reflect His image? No matter all my ups and downs: I do! Because I belong to Him.
Read also: Grace is a person
