Peace with God

I’m sitting here trying to find words to describe what it means to have peace with God. It’s no small thing and yet I acknowledge it’s something I don’t often take time to ponder. Perhaps it’s why I love this week of advent so much because it reminds me of how important it is to try to get my mind around the concept of having peace with God.

Of course, peace with God is on His terms and requires not only that I know what He says about it but that I agree with Him on it. Honestly, working through what I think or feel and thus believe has been a process but y’all…every time I come face to face with God’s Word on this subject and many others, I simply must yield. God gets the final say.

Like me, you’ve probably heard it all before but sit with me a minute and ponder what’s true. God, in His Word, says there is no one right with God. Not even one. None understand none seek God. All have turned aside, together they have become useless. None do good. There is not even one.

None, all, not even one.

This dispels any theory that all men are good, doesn’t it? Elsewhere God, in His Word, describes “all” our hearts as deceitful, wicked, sick, beyond cure. But we are good people, right? We don’t feel deceitful or wicked or sick. Do we? Of course, not because our hearts are deceitful above all things. Being deceived means we don’t even know we are deceived. God’s word provides a reality check…if we’ll let it.

God goes on to say in His Word that we “all” fall short of His holy standard making “all” sinners.

He declares the penalty for sin is death. And He’s not just saying we die physically because we are eternal beings. Woah, eternal beings? He says we will live forever in one of two places. In His presence and favor (eternal life in heaven) or excluded from His presence and favor (eternal death in hell). God says that as sinners, His wrath is upon us. Wrath is a serious word.

There’s more. God goes on to tell us that we were helpless to do anything about our sinful and ungodly children of wrath state and further that we are His enemy… His enemy?

Yes. Sweet friends, this is how we are described when God demonstrated His great love for us. This is when Christ died for us saving us from the wrath of God so that we can live forever with Him. I know, it’s an overwhelming truth. Hard to believe. I mean who would die in the place of an enemy? Yet God offers us – His enemy - peace with Him through Jesus Christ.

Oh, my dear friends, let me say it again. Peace with God is no small thing. Our minds will want to keep us from the depth of this truth because we as humans cannot comprehend this kind of love. Especially in the face of our wickedness. Peace with God is offered not earned. It’s a gift to be received. Peace with God is found in a person – Jesus Christ. Believe it. Receive it.

Oh, the wonder of it!

Bow low and worship.

#Jesus
#Advent
#Peace
#Hope