Thursday, June 29, 2006

He LIKES ME, so I can just BE...

You know, a while back, I realized something really significant. It's not that I'm that smart - but
when God shows you something so very clearly, it's pretty hard to miss.

HE LIKES ME.

There. That's it. It's so simple, yet so life changing when we really "get it". I really get it - HE LIKES ME. I mean, I knew he always loved me, and that's great. Like a parent of a teenager - never stops loving the kid, but doesn't always LIKE him or her. But HE isn't even like that. HE LIKES ME. He made me just like I am, and HE LIKES ME. Wow! What a freedom.

Maybe you weren't raised like I was. Maybe you are going "yeah, I get it, so what's the big deal?"

The big deal is this - as a child who was raised to be a performer - one who could never measure up to the expectations - THIS IS HUGE. I always knew it wasn't about works, and that I was secure in God, but I was always left with the picture of Him being disappointed or upset with me over my poor choices, my "sin", and so forth.

What HE has shown me is that all of that was COMPLETELY dealt with at the cross, and that the righteousness of CHRIST has been IMPUTED (put on, placed upon, attributed to, accounted to) ME (and YOU). "He, who knew no sin, was made to BE sin, that we (who knew no righteousness) would be MADE TO BE the RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD." 2 Corinthians 5:21.

Not only that, HE LIKES ME (and YOU). We can be free to just BE who He made us to be. It's not what we DO that determines who we are. We are who HE says we are. Who we ARE will determine what we DO, if we only realize who we are and whose we are, and that He isn't angry with us. HE LIKES US.

J

3 comments:

kingsjoy said...

Sometimes I get it; sometimes I forget it. What an awesome freedom to walk the rest of my days fully aware that He loves me and likes me.

Would you pray for me? That I would really get it the way you have?

Blessings~

David

GoteeMan said...

David -

Already have been, and I will continue to do so. You guys are a treasure, and very precious.

It's amazing how He pairs us up with others for a time to lead us ahead. You and Melissa, Darla and Michael, Gaston and Yeri have all blessed us and urged us on. And a couple here in Tennessee have really been awesome - they are so very trustworthy, open, loving and accepting... and God is front and center of the relationships. I am equally close to both of them, as is Kim. There is hardly a few days that go by that we don't talk, and we never tire of each others' company. It is always real. Where there is pain, it is shared, as is joy. Where there is worry, there is reassurance and a shoulder to lean on. It's a very "equal" bunch of relationships - no posturing or competing for position or to be "over" another... Just loving, caring closeness, and through that, we have really seen how we believe God would have it to be - we all know who we are, who He is, and we genuinely love and trust.

Please let me know if there is ever anything I can do for you, and if you pass near Tennessee, please let us know. We'd love to have you drop in and stay with us.

Jeff

Anonymous said...

J my friend. Amazing grace that you get that.

I'm really happy.

I get it at times. I think about it... and then I don't know. : )

But I'll get in one day God willing.

Yeri asks about you always. She says write them and say hello.

I hope you're doing ok bro.

Blessings on you and your family!!

Love,

G