SAFE IN THE ARMS OF JESUS
Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
II Corinthians 12:10 reminds us that when we are weak, he is strong. That’s good news wouldn’t you say? It is for me, because it seems I am always messing up. If making it to heaven was solely up to me, I could kiss that thought good by. But it is not, and for that I will be eternally grateful to the Lord. I was never good enough to meet God’s demand for a sinless life lived, nor good enough to make up for all my sins. I truly came to Jesus as a beggar. Maybe in some ways this is good, because if I could do something I would. In fact for years I spent trying to be good enough to go to heaven. Finally it took the Lord in a vision I had to confront me with the reality that I could never be good enough on my own, and that the only way to heaven was by solely and completely by trusting in Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. And since my mommy didn’t raise me completely stupid, I jumped at the chance to find my forgiveness and reconciliation by the grace offered by Jesus. But like most people I still continue to work out my salvation with fear and trembling. (Philippians 2:12) The problem is I still know that I am weak even though he is strong. And I know that he respects my free will enough to let me walk away from him just like that young rich man. (Matthew 19:22) A young rich man came to Jesus one day and asked him what he must do to get eternal life. Jesus told him to not murder, commit adultery, honor his father and mother and love his neighbor as himself. But the young man knew that this wasn’t enough although he had done these things, because he asked Jesus what he still lacked. In his heart he knew still wasn’t right with the Lord. Jesus answered him by saying that the needed to sell his possessions and give to the poor and then come follow him. Unfortunately the young man went away sad because he had great wealth. His wealth was his god. The room he needed to be filled with the Lord in his heart was filled with the things of this world. Scripture tells us that Jesus let him walk away.
We can walk away from Jesus any time we want. This is why so many verses tell us that we will go to heaven if we continue in trusting Jesus. There are 23 verses just like Hebrews 3:14 that says, “We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.” No one can take our salvation from us, but we can give it up. Jesus holds us with an open hand! Anytime we choose to leave him we can. I pray I or anyone else never does, but I know as you might many have. People that have passionately loved Jesus with all their heart and have turned away from him. Often it was because they felt he let them down like Mary and Martha when Jesus didn’t keep Lazarus from dying. Sometimes is was as simple as returning to the ways of the world and putting things before him. So many things can get between us and Jesus if we only let them. We see in Matthew 13:18-23 a parable of a sower that Jesus told about how people respond to hearing his word. Only one out of four that heard the good news of Jesus ever responded as they should have. One person had a hard heart towards God and rejected it completely. Another heard the word, but didn’t have a sound doctrine or understanding. When trials and trouble came they became discouraged and turned from Jesus. The next person allowed the things of this world to take the place of Jesus in their life. Only the next person that stayed committed to Jesus, and became all that they could have been. Only one out of four people made it. It was not the fault of Jesus or his desire for them to go to heaven. He provided the way for all to find forgiveness and reconciliation with God. The problem was with the people. People just like you and me.
This is why we have to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. While our salvation is a free gift, it is up to us to keep it or let it go. Day in and day out, we must die to ourself and put Jesus first. We must become disciplined and study his word to show ourselves approved so we will not become deceived or discouraged. We need to have constant intimate fellowship with him throughout our day. We need to take a stand for him and not be moved regarding our loyalty to him. If Jesus isn’t Lord in all areas and all ways he is really not Lord at all. We must continually yield to him and passionately love him. Nothing less will do!
When we put our trust and love in him, Jesus will make sure that even though we may be weak he will bring us home to be with him. He will not let Satan, the powers of darkness take us from him. He will guide and encourage us at every level and area of our life. It is his passion for us to be with him for all eternity. What we have committed to him he will bring to pass.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for loving and caring so much about us. Please bring us home to be with you for all eternity. Please hold us in your loving arms close to your heart. We ask this in your holy name.
