It’s the Goodness of Yahweh
First impressions usually set the tone of a relationship when you first meet someone. Let me ask you a question. How were you first introduced to Jesus? Spend some time thinking about this question.
For as long as I can remember there have been at least three different ways people have been introduced to Jesus. First, is by fear of your final destination. People have spent many years manipulating others with the fear of hell to get them to give their lives to Jesus. It hasn’t worked. Second, the focus of your own brokenness. You’re a wretched sinner and need a savior but even then, you’ll never really be good enough because the focus is always on you, a sinner saved by grace. So, all you do in this situation is stare at yourself. The third one is tricky because it seems right. Find Jesus and you find your purpose. We are all here for a reason and a purpose. Have you ever met someone whose been through some tough things or escaped death? People will say, “well, God still has something for you to do.” We enter into this relationship with Jesus to find our purpose because obviously there is a lot to do in our communities. There are a lot of causes we can make a difference in. Although this may be true but if it is not from an overflow from beloved identity there is not true transformation. If just coming to Jesus and finding our purpose worked, our world would be a different place.
Fear never leads to transformation, neither does busy work. Are you wondering what will bring transformation? Like real transformation and change. Let’s look at Romans 2:4 in the Passion Translation. “Do the riches of his extraordinary kindness make you take him for granted and despise him? Haven’t you experienced how kind and understanding he has been to you? Don’t mistake his tolerance for acceptance. Do you realize that all the wealth of his extravagant kindness is meant to melt your heart and lead you into repentance?”
It is His divine goodness that leads to repentance. It is His kindness towards us that draws us in to a relationship with Him. When we come to Jesus based on His love for us, we will remain in union with Him. If we come based on fear, our own sinfulness or to find our purpose we will not tether ourselves to Him in a way that transforms us for His glory.
Jesus himself spent 30 years on the earth through humanity falling in love with Abba before He did anything. He gave us the perfect example of what this union should look like. If you came to Jesus through fear or purpose, today you can turn your heart to Him and ask to start fresh based on love. Like Paul, in Philippians said, “to truly know him meant letting go of everything from my past and throwing all my boasting on the garbage heap. It’s all like a pile of manure to me now, so that I may be enriched in the reality of knowing Jesus Christ and embrace him as Lord in all his greatness.”
Let His extravagant love and kindness draw you to Him today. In every day after continuing to lean into His goodness. Love casts out all fear. Fear of your past, present and future. Be rooted in His love and care for you. This is what brings transformation. No one will ever care for you like Him.
