Accept One Another

If you know me, I have a rejection problem. And I seem to have lived some of these things written below and my confidence has taken a major hit because if it.

But I am growing. Growing in my identity of who I am. I AM a child of the living God and no matter what I have been through in life, He love's me.

And I am determined to take my hurts in life, share it, and pray no one else has to live it.

I might not have it right; I might not do it right; but I must do it not for myself but for the glory God. For He is worthy and when I glorify Him, just maybe, my life would be so full of who He is that it would radiate to others and even my shadow will stand at attention with His glory. Yes, dreaming big here but it will be so worth it!

God Bless.

Scripture Reading: Romans 15:1-13 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. - Romans 15:7

Have you ever felt rejected when you wanted to belong? It can be very hurtful. God made us to be in relationship with one another. That’s why the Heidelberg Catechism’s answer to “What is your only comfort in life and in death?” is so powerful: “That I am not my own, but belong—body and soul, in life and in death—to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ.” We desire acceptance and relationship. It’s comforting to know Christ has accepted us.

And by accepting one another as Christ did, we honor God. But how well do we do at accepting one another? How well do we mirror Christ’s love and acceptance? We know that we are called to become more like Jesus. But so often we build walls instead of breaking them down. And that’s not Christlike. God’s Word leaves no room for superiority thinking. Believers are called to be accepting of one another with the standard set by Christ himself, realizing that there are the weak and the strong, the strugglers and the achievers. In our churches and our relationships, we’ve got to make sure that people experience acceptance. We show this by including them and accepting them as they are. Accepting includes making others feel they belong. Those who confess “I belong to Jesus” know that they have been accepted by Christ. Will you accept them too?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for accepting us as sisters and brothers. We’re so glad to belong to you. Help us to welcome others into the same relationship, to your glory.

Amen.

George Vink