The Blessings You Have In Christ
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There is no ‘arriving’ in the Christian life while we are alive on Earth – there is only progress. I have lived most of my life as a believer – almost 40 years ago I committed my life to Jesus, and I have not yet arrived. I’ve only made progress.
I have struggled. I have argued with God more than once. I have asked innumerable ‘whys.’ And I have walked away in my heart. But always – always – I come back to this one thing: I have nowhere else to go. As Peter proclaims in John 6:68, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have [the] words of eternal life.”
This is the progress we make – three steps forward, two steps back. Then five steps forward and one step back. Always forward, but not in a straight line! Highs and lows, mountaintops and valleys – these are the things of which our journey consists.
It is easy for me to become discouraged when the ‘two steps back’ comes my way. I’m sure it is for you as well. This year has been filled with some of those ‘two steps back’ moments for me. It’s frustrating, discouraging and not a little baffling. After so long walking with Jesus, I would expect to be better at it! But the truth is, I’m still human, still a sinner, still in need of boundless grace.
It’s at times like this that I find myself, again and again, turning to the truths I first learned. I am a new creation in Christ. I am freed from the power of sin and death. I have a glorious future. I have been saved for a purpose. I am loved deeply, immeasurably, eternally.
I Am In Christ
Returning to timeless truths grounds me once again in reality. Not the reality of “Survivor” or “American Idol.” But the reality of Christ. He is the One who died for me, redeemed me, set me free, and is worth dying for. He is the One I will worship for eternity and still struggle to worship adequately on this Earth. He is the only One who is completely trustworthy, unconditionally loving, and always in my corner.
As I was mulling these well-known (to me) facts over again in my head, I turned to the Scriptures to seek out the basis for these truths. Because knowing it is great – but there is something about reading words in black and white that can reach deep into my soul in a way that my ‘knowing’ cannot. I love reading and re-reading the Word. Nothing I’ve found can quite match its ability to soothe, comfort, guide, strengthen, encourage, and admonish me.
So, I search (on biblegateway.com – a great site!) for verses about being in Christ. What do I have because I am in Him? What are the blessings bestowed on my simply because I chose to trust Jesus when He lovingly called me? I came up with 48 items on my list! And that was in 30 minutes. This list just scratches the surface of the blessings I possess – and you possess – because we are called by His name.
Encouragement in Christ
So today I just want to encourage you by sharing that you are special, and you are deeply and eternally loved. You – whoever you are, whatever your circumstances, whatever your past, your scars, your pain, your sins – you are special because you are created in the image of the Creator Himself. You are loved more than you can imagine simply because our God is a God of love. He loves beyond measure.
These two facts – that you are special and that you are loved – are true of all people, at all times, in all places, whether they’ve trusted Christ or not. God’s love is not limited to those who have answered His call.
However, we who have answered that call have so much more! We are freed from the power of sin, we have been given the Holy Spirit, we are promised a perfect eternity without sin or pain or tears. We have boundless grace available, along with wisdom, strength, and confident access to the throne of grace. I could go on and on.
However, I have decided to take what I have been reviewing this week, and offer it to you as a gift. The PDF file is yours for the asking – no need to sign up for the Resource Library or give me your email – although that would be fine! I just want to bless you in your walk and encourage you the way the Word has encouraged me.
Download the document I’ve created, print it out, and read over it anytime you feel like a lost cause or a failure or just stumped about life in general. Just FYI – it wouldn’t all fit on one page – so you’ll have to print front to back or two pages! Knowing you’re a child of the King – and all that means – can lift you up and set your feet back on the narrow path. Revel today in His blessings in Christ!
