Now that we are well into Lent, I am finding my thoughts turning towards how we view ourselves and how deeply we take on board that we are forgiven and pure in God’s eyes. I’ve met some dear people recently who have been really struggling with condemnation. One felt completely paralysed by it and the other had no personal certainty of God’s love for her. I often struggle myself and my awareness of my own flaws and mistakes feels overwhelming. But Paul taught us unequivocally that ‘there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ.’ (Romans 8:1). Condemnation is a lie from the enemy who loves to steal our joy and certainty in God’s love and make us feel that his forgiveness is true for everyone else but can’t possibly be true for us. Condemnation sucks us down like mud in a field. Our local field is really boggy at the moment, and I have to walk with great care when exercising Marilyn’s guide dog, Arlo. Navigating a field full of sticky, slippery mud reminds me of this battle to navigate the marshlands of condemnation. The other day, a friend walked the field with me, and I put my arm through hers so we could walk safely through the mud together. It was a joy to be able to focus my eyes on the signs of Spring rather than feeling with every step that I was going to fall into the mud. Jesus said he has chosen us to be his friends (John 15:15. Rather than condemnation, he longs for us to be experiencing the gift of salvation and the wonder of his friendship and love on a daily basis. We can put our arms through his and know he loves to walk with us, to support us and open our eyes to amazing things. He says, ‘the old is gone and the new has come.’ (2 Corinthians 5:17). Yes, we do sin and do let him down but the Holy Spirit convicts us which means he shows us in love when we are going wrong and lovingly helps us to change. He never condemns, never turns his back on us.
I pray today you will know afresh the wonder of Jesus’forgiveness and the constancy of his love for you. You are the apple of his eye, pure and beautiful in his eyes without a single fault. (Ephesians 1)
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