Monday, February 4, 2019

Pastor's Ponderings, February 4, 2019

God Wants A Close Relationship With His Children

In the February 2, 2019, US News, Jacob Soboroff and Dennis Romero wrote an article entitled, “Finding all migrant children separated from their families may be impossible, feds say.”  Apparently the Trump administration’s decision to separate the parents from their children at the United States southern border may permanently impact thousands of families.  Whether one supports the separation decision or opposes it, it is hard to dismiss the pain and agony of separation from one’s children.

In the Bible, God says our own disobedience to His loving kindness separates us from Him (Isaiah 59:2).  To bring us back to Him, over two thousand years ago, God the Father sent His Son Jesus Christ to pay for all of our sins.  He allowed His only Son to be stabbed, beaten (Isaiah 53:5a) and put to death on a cross between two known criminals.  Jesus’ most poignant words were, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me (Matthew 27:46)?” 

God the Father and Jesus the Son paid a great price to reconcile us back to Him. But even when our rebellion against God divided us from Him, He loved us so much that He declares that our rightful place is with Him and Christ (Ephesians 2:4-6).  He affirms that He has delivered us from rebellion against Him to a loving relationship with Him (Colossians 1:13).

Just like the parents at the border want their children back with them, God says His children are accepted in His heavenly realms (Ephesians 1:6).  He has a place especially prepared for those who love Him (John 14:3). God so loved the world that He gave His only Son for us that we might be with Him (John 3:16).  Let us accept His kind offer and have a close relationship with our Father.

Isaiah 59:2
New International Version (NIV)
But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.

Isaiah 53:5a
New International Version (NIV)
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; 

Matthew 27:46
New International Version (NIV)
46 About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).

Ephesians 2:4-6 
New International Version (NIV)
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 
5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 
6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.

Colossians 1:13
New International Version (NIV)
13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,

Ephesians 1:6
King James Version (KJV)
To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

John 14:3
New International Version (NIV)
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

John 3:16
New International Version (NIV)
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.






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