Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation.
—Romans 5:7-9 (NLT)
Jesus gave his highest for me. Most people would not even die for a good person, but Jesus chose me, an unworthy sinner, to make worthy by His grace. The gift of His righteous life for mine made me worthy of God’s love and acceptance. There is nothing more Jesus could have given me. His passionate grace declared me clean and healed. Jesus held nothing back. He bore my sinful nature to the Cross so I could be saved from it. Up to the moment He died from the horrible physical torture on the Cross, His passion for me cost Him something more—the pain of spiritual separation from His Father. Even though His love cost me nothing, His amazing grace moves me to love as He loves me.
How do I respond to His passion for me? Do I love as passionately as He loves me? Does His forgiveness consume me until it flows without judgment? Does His unconditional love inspire the same in me? His blood has made me right in the eyes of God, and He saves me from condemnation. There is no condemnation in Him—no guilt—no debt—no penance. I am free in His unselfish love. When I love with His grace, I live His passion for me. I pass His freedom on to others. But when I hold back grace—that unconditional love of Jesus—I hold others in bondage.
If I hold back His love, it is because I have not allowed His grace to transform me. I have not understood what His life purchased for me. When I hold back, I do not understand that there is no condemnation in Him. When I feel condemned, I pass along that condemnation. But when I KNOW I am free from guilt and sin because of Jesus, I choose His grace. I forgive because He gives me the ability to forgive. I love because He gives me the ability to love. His passion that yearns for my passion is fulfilled in me.
What about you? Have you surrendered to His passion for you? There is nothing more He could have given you. When He looks at you, He sees you through the eyes of grace. Abandon who you are, and see Him unveiled in His love for you. Know that He has given you all of Himself so you can be free and in return free others. Hold nothing back. Surrender costs you but gains all that Jesus has given. He gave His highest for you. Allow Him to live His highest in you.
© 2019 Lynn Lacher
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