Five-minute read.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16
Believe or perish, the ultimate decision one must make about Jesus. Do you believe He died on the cross for your sins, then rose again, overcoming death? Or don’t you? Belief in Jesus begins with a choice only you can make. Only God knows your heart; we can make guesses, but none of us truly understand what someone else believes. However, the fruit of the Spirit gives us a clue to what someone worships.
“Always kind,” my friend’s son-in-law said to his young daughter, struggling with a friendship at school. Watching the family deal with the situation brought joy to my heart as I watched the father teach his daughter love. From his Spirit came love. The dad chose Jesus, the fruit evident in his actions.
Becoming Christ’s followers involves accepting something, not doing something. Nothing we do can earn our salvation. Believing in Jesus frees us from condemnation, gives us eternal life, and allows us to live honestly with the Lord. This means we admit we have faults, become self-aware of our shortcomings, and openly share them with God, asking Him to help us overcome them.
Because Jesus overcame sin on the cross, sinless, Christ bore the punishment we deserve, giving us His peace that surpasses all understanding as we submit our lives to Him. When we lay our struggles at the foot of the cross, we must leave them there. Moving forward requires letting go. A social media meme I saw recently had a stick figure holding onto a balloon in one hand and a weight in the other. Hanging in the air, the character couldn’t fly with the balloon because he wouldn’t let go of the heavy weight. We can’t embrace the future God has for us if we still hold onto our past sins. To fly with Jesus, we must accept His gift, let go of our guilt and shame, and trust Him.
God knows we struggle; He knows we need a Savior. And so, out of His unconditional love for us, the Lord sent His Son. Taking the place of Isaac, saving the Israelites from the Passover, and laying down His life for us, Jesus said, “It is finished” (John 19:30), then bowed His head and gave up His Spirit. Three days later, Mary found an empty tomb, and everything changed.
Choose Jesus today and every day. Believe in the Savior who died for your sins. Accept His grace and mercy, let go of the past, and fly high with the Lord, abundantly living in Him.
Prayer:
Praise God for Jesus! Thank You, Lord, for Your Son, who sets us free from our sins and gives us new life in Him. Please, Lord, help us share the good news of Christ’s resurrection with everyone. Let us love others well for You, giving all the glory to Jesus.
IJNIP. Amen
