Hearing too much or listening not enough?

Looking back on decades of faith in Christ, I recall often skipping through the gospel message with the vain thought that I already knew that. Only lately I realized how important the biblical good news is for daily life.

How many years did I beat myself up for every mistake, forgetting that all was put on Christ and He gave me His righteousness? How many times have I patted myself on the back for whatever I did instead of glorifying the enabling power of my Savior? How often have I grumbled and complained instead of being thankful for the wonder of life with Christ and how He takes care of all needs? Or how often have I wasted time and energy because my heart was bent on my way instead of His?

The gospel tells me that I am a new creation, reconciled to God and have peace to be enjoyed and a job to do, not wasting anything following my own ideas.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:17–19)

My sins are forgiven. No need to beat up myself:

(Jesus) entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. (Hebrews 9:12–14)

All the foolish things I’ve ever done, even the foolish thoughts that pull me away from glorifying God and being thankful, have been forgiven. Christ took all of my sin on Himself and died that I could be set free from its penalty and power.

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:1–2)

Pity the churches where the gospel is rarely told. We who believe need to hear it every day, listen to it with a raptured heart and fully realize what it means to the real or false guilt that we experience. The gospel fills me with joy. My heart dances to know that my salvation is a done-deal. God has prepared a lifetime of things for me to do and because of Jesus, I can and will do them.

PRAY: Jesus, You are the reason for all good things. Not only that, I am so thankful that Your Word says You will restore the years the locust has eaten. In the end, You wipe away all tears and all will melt into forgetfulness. Thank You for the joys of this day and the assurance of forever.