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Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:39
I saw a billboard once advertising a company that boasted that ‘We buy Ugly houses’. The company apparently bought up houses that weren’t in the best of shape and then either fixed them up or resold them.
In essence they took something that no one wanted and made it into something more presentable. They took the unusable and made it useable. They took something of little or no value and make it valuable. I think about that whenever I’m driving through the country side and see old, abandoned farm houses. Places that were once the pride and joy of the owners. Places that saw babies born and grandparents die. Places of celebration and sadness. But whatever the situation, those old ugly homes once had great value and sentiment.
This verse in Romans has always been one of my favorites for in it hold a promise that, at least in Jesus eyes, I’ll never become like one of those old, dilapidated eyesores that once were called ‘home’.
It’s easy to love a new home with fresh paint and warm carpet and shiny windows. It’s not so easy to love an old house that’s strewn with garbage and has holes in the walls, broken windows and signs of little four-legged inhabitants.
In the same way people are easy to love when they are kind, respectful, and show evidence of having had a shower sometime in the recent past. People who are talkative, intelligent and humble are a joy to be around. We all gravitate towards people who make feel comfortable and of great value.
But what about the ugly people? I’m not talking just about physical appearance. I’m talking about inner beauty as well. What about the person that cuts you off in traffic or the one that insists on driving 10 MPH below the posted speed limit? What about the wait-staff at the local restaurant who makes you feel like you are a huge disruption to their day? What about the foul-mouthed co-worker who knows how their language offends you and finds every opportunity to let you hear an earful whenever you are near.
Does Jesus love them? Yep. He does. Not only does he love them. He loves me too. He loves me when I’m angry. He loves me when I’m having a bad day and perfectly willing to share my disposition with all those around me. He loves me when I’m so sure that I’m right that I make you feel like an idiot for disagreeing.
A buyer of an ‘ugly house’ doesn’t see an eyesore, he sees an opportunity to make something useful out of something worthless; something charming out of something repulsive; of making a building into a home.
Jesus does the same for each of us. Jesus looks past our ugliness and sees a treasure, a diamond in the rough. He doesn’t care how you got into the situation you are in. He isn’t interested in your history as much as he is your future. And there is nothing, absolutely nothing you can do to change it.
PRAYER: Jesus, I thank you for your love. I thank you that even though I can be really ugly at times you love me and see me as a chosen vessel in your sight. You see me as a palace when everyone else sees me as an old, useless building. Forgive me for my ugliness. Empower me with your spirit to be one who shows your love through all I say and do. In your name I pray, Amen.
Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope, comfort you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say. 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
When the Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica he was writing to a people who had all but given up hope. It seemed to them that the anti-Christian forces were overtaking them and soon they would be defeated. The truth of the gospel had become a mockery to everyone, so it seemed.
Paul’s words here are actually a prayer. He prays that those who are feeling hopeless in the midst of trial and despair would be comforted and strengthened by God’s grace. There is it again. That word GRACE. Grace is the building block on which everything we say and do is built. Grace says that even though we are powerless to do anything to deserve hope, we are granted hope because of Jesus.
Grace says that even though our efforts to live for Christ are thwarted by evil in the social and political realm, we have hope and comfort because of God’s love for us. Grace isn’t dependent on government or legal systems or financial stability. Hope is grounded in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. No human system or spiritual darkness will change that.
Grace says that even though it seems like everything is stacked against me, the good that I do will not go unnoticed. My efforts for Christ may be ignored or misunderstood by others. My commitment to live by God’s standards and not worldly standards may be labeled old fashioned or intolerant by forces of darkness, but my Father in Heaven sees my heart and my actions and gives me comfort.
Don’t let the forces of evil discourage you. Don’t allow Satan, the great deceiver, to trick you into thinking that things are out of control. Things are out of our control, but they have never been in our control. Everything that is going on around us is under the control of a Loving, Sovereign, Grace-full God. Put your hope and comfort in Him. Let the truth of God’s word empower you as you continue to do and say good things in his name.
The world system wants you to believe there is hope in politics, money or religion. The only hope we have is through grace given us in Jesus Christ.
PRAYER: Father God, I confess to you that I look around me and don’t always find a lot to be hope-full about. The political world scares me. The financial and legal system are a shambles. Religions that don’t acknowledge you as the Creator/Sustainer of the world seem to be overtaking us Christ-followers. I ask that you would empower me by your Spirit to remember that my hope is built on Grace through Jesus Christ. May I go about my day doing and saying good things to glorify you, Amen.
The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Romans 8:16
Three third grade girls were overheard on the playground. Two of the girls were new to the school and playing with their new found friend. In the midst of play, one of the ‘new’ girls said, “We’re sisters, but one of us is adopted.” Her friend said, “Really? Which one of you is adopted?” At that, the sisters looked at each other and got a puzzled look on their face. They giggled their reply, “Um…we don’t remember!”
That’s what it’s like to be adopted as a child of God. When you are a guest in a home you are limited in what you can do and where you can go. Even if the host gives you ‘all liberty’, in your heart you realize that some things are just inappropriate unless you are part of that family.
But when you are a child, there are no limitations. You can go where you please. You can answer the telephone and change the television channels. You can get the mail and raid the refrigerator. Oh, and when you are a child, it’s your stuff hanging on the refrigerator too. And your stocking hanging on the fireplace.
You didn’t choose which physical family you were born into. But you can choose your spiritual family. You did nothing to prepare for your first birth. You can do nothing to prepare for your second birth either. It’s all been done for you on the cross.
When you were growing up you thought nothing of going to your father and asking for things. He was daddy. He was your protection, your provision and your number one cheerleader. You knew that if you were ever really in trouble you could go to dad. You can do the same today.
It doesn’t matter what you have done or where you have been. It’s not important if you got into the mess you are in because of your own stupid choices or because of the evil and abuse of someone else. What matters is that the God of Heaven wants desperately to be your daddy. Your Heavenly Daddy wants to take you in his arms and love you and show you that everything…yes everything, will be okay because he is there.
I like what Max Lucado says in his book ‘The Great House of God’. “It would be enough if God just cleansed your name, but he does more. He gives you his name!”
PRAYER: Father God…Daddy. There are so many times I’ve tried to go my own way like some self-confident, rebellious and selfish two-year-old. So many times when I’ve chosen my way when I knew your way was best. Thank you for the forgiveness you have given me through Jesus Christ. Thank you that I’m not a guest in your house, I’m a child. I don’t visit you. I live with you. I pray that from this day forward I’ll live with the confidence of a child of a king because that is what I am! In Jesus name, Amen.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 