A Waiting Gift
God offers us something – it’s a gift! There’s no expectation of anything in return; it’s just a gift that waits on our acceptance. We could just come to Papa God like a child, and take it with a big smile, but sometimes we choose to think about how we don’t deserve what He wants to give us instead. Although He took the greatest measures to achieve this gift, it is simply given. It’s His gift of righteousness.
Each time I heard or read about righteousness, I struggled to believe that I really could be considered righteous. Instead of thinking about what had been done for me, I thought about how unworthy I was. I knew that I was unrighteous in my own strength and power, unable to carry out all that I should. Romans 8:3-4 explains,
The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit. (NLT)
Free, yet Hard to Receive
It’s difficult to comprehend that we can really be made righteous through Christ Jesus, and harder yet to receive this truth. We can read the Bible and learn about what Jesus has done for us, and how we are made free and cleared from sin and death, but if we choose to not extend our hands and receive the gift, then we never will believe that we can be seen as righteous, holy, and acceptable to God.
I kept my hands back for a while, unwilling to fully believe and receive the gift of His righteousness, because I knew I didn’t deserve it. To imagine God looking at me and seeing me completely acceptable to Him was so hard to grasp. Struggling and even resisting this gift that the Father wanted to give, I wondered, how could God look at me and truly accept me? I had agreed with the whispers of the enemy and thought more about what I should do to please God than what He had already done for me.
A Needed Gift
During prayer, someone led me to say the words, “I am beautiful to God; I am accepted You; I am loved by Christ Jesus,” and that’s when the simple message broke through. He was telling me that He accepted me, just as I was, because of His gift. I went back to my seat and continued to talk to Jesus, “I receive that I am beautiful to you, I receive that You love me. I receive your gift of righteousness.” God’s Spirit confirmed the truth deep deep down into my heart and helped me to accept it. It took submitting my own understanding and receiving God’s simple truth.
Follow the Spirit
As we recognize the attempts of the accuser to keep us separated from God, we can confront them with God’s truth. In 2 Corinthians 2:11 Paul wrote, “so that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are familiar with his evil schemes.” When God looks at us He sees us through His Son, Christ Jesus. If we have received Him, then we are covered by Him.
So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit. Romans 8:1-2 (NLT)
At salvation, our sins were washed away and we truly became new. This is a supernatural thing that only God can do. As we walk in relationship with Him, He gently unfolds truths to us and reveals the way He sees us – righteous and holy, completely acceptable to Him.
Reach Out & Receive It
The gift of righteousness is waiting, not because of anything you did, but because of everything Jesus did. We just have to stop rejecting it and receive it. I resisted until I became desperate to understand it and have it – not just in my head, but truly in my heart. The gift that is so simple, yet hard to believe, waits to be received. All you have to do is reach out and take it. He sees you as holy, beautiful, and set apart to Him. He sees you as righteous. Receive it! Receive His love and receive Him as your Father and fully know that you are truly accepted by Him.
…I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself. Jeremiah 31:3