The Power of Transforming Love
Soon we’ll enter another election season. If history repeats itself, the opposing side will post on social media every disgraceful moment their “enemy” ever did. It’s distressing seeing our political leaders’ worst moments televised.
Every minute of every day, there’s no escaping inquiring minds.
As wonderful as I am (tongue in cheek, for sure), I’m glad there isn’t a camera or Smartphone recording my every word and action.
Yet God hears and sees everything I do, every minute of every day. If I allow myself to think about this too much, I feel ashamed.
The point of this week’s column is not to comment on our candidates’ poor behavior – or the grave consequences of their actions. Rather, I hope to encourage us to remember that we all need a Savior.
But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8 ESV.
The Redeemer Himself – while we were in our shameful, sinful state – died for us.
The closer we come to Christ, the more we recognize how utterly wretched we are and how much we need a Savior. Yet, God, in His mercy, sees us as endearing and worthy of love.
It is this mercy and love that transforms us.
If we feel we’re not as bad as the one who sits on death row, or someone who got suspended from school, or a politician exposed for saying or doing despicable acts, perhaps we need to read Luke 18.
Observe the humility of the tax collector when he recognized his own faults and stood “far off, [and] would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’” (verse 13, ESV).
We. All. Sin.
The sooner we go to our heavenly Father to confess our sin and ask for forgiveness, the sooner we’ll experience His mercy and transformational power.
As we allow God to continue His work in us, we’ll become people of integrity and enjoy the benefits of a good reputation. And with humble and grateful hearts, we’ll be less likely to point fingers on social media – and more likely to pray for those who are stumbling.
What about you?
I’d love to hear your thoughts about this post. (Others might also benefit from your comment.)
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This is spot on Sheryl! I have to reiterate these important excerpts. We really need to get this if we are ever to begin to love our enemies and forgive them. Otherwise we will always see ourselves as superior and nothing like them. When sadly we are exactly like them.
“The closer we come to Christ, the more we recognize how utterly wretched we are and how much we need a Savior.”
And
“If we feel we’re not as bad as the one who sits on death row, or someone who got suspended from school, or a politician exposed for saying or doing despicable acts, perhaps we need to read Luke 18.”
And
“Observe the humility of the tax collector when he recognized his own faults and stood “far off, [and] would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’”
And
“The sooner we go to our heavenly Father to confess our sin and ask for forgiveness, the sooner we’ll experience His mercy and transformational power.”
My, my. It makes me feel pretty encouraged when you read – and quote – from my devotion, Barbara. Thank you. Of course, the Holy Spirit was convicting me as I wrote!
And thank you for sharing this devotion on your Facebook page!
In the long ron, Jesus Christ does not care about what political party or candidate that you support. He does care what kind of relationship that you have w HIm and That you keep His commandments. HE wants youi to follow His will and not your will.
Welcome to Today Can Be Different, Michael!
I agree to a point, Michael, that God doesn’t care which political party or candidate we support. HOWEVER, wouldn’t you agree that He does care what we support or condone as we vote?
AND I DO agree totally with you that He wants us to follow His Word. His will. Not ours.
Thank you for stopping by, Michael. I hope you do so often.
But we reakkt do need to leave poliics out of the pews-churches can really be made toxic if that happens. And it already has.
I respectfully (and I do mean “respectfully”) disagree, Michael. I think morality should be preached from the pulpit, according to God’s Word. And that sometimes includes bringing up moral issues being voted on.
Just wondering what you thought about the true gist of my devotion, Michael: the fact we all sin and we all need a Savior … I hope that part of my message got through. 🙂
So, what ever happened to the separation of church and state? Yes, I did reflect on your devotion but there are those who sin and are not even aware that they are sinning. I think it is sad when you have folks who love and pray to Jesus but never want to act like Him and emulate His Love. We always need to ask ourselves what would Jesus do in any given example? Too many Christians fail to realize that. I am not one of them-at least,I try very hard not to be one of those people.
Hello, Michael. Many people think “the separation of church and state” is in the Constitution, but it isn’t. Thomas Jefferson wrote about it in an 1802 letter to a group of men affiliated with the Danbury Baptists Association of Connecticut. His point was to not have the government establish a church. It was NOT about keeping the church outside of government.
To the rest of your comment, true. I agree. We need to emulate Christ – always.
I NEVER said that it was in the Cnnstitution But I do feel that Jefferson was correct in his thinking. I do not like what he idd the Bible but that is another story.
I sincerely apologize that my wording came out wrong, Michael. I didn’t mean to imply that you, yourself, Michael, said it was in the Constitution.