Ron Buford: Blessed Assurance

"Blessed be the God and the Divine Parent of our Lord Jesus Christ! By God's great mercy God has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."   - 1 Peter 1:3-9

Some religious people think they have all the answers about Jesus, his resurrection, second coming and so much more. And while these topics may be interesting, they are not central to our faith in the God as made know to us by Jesus, whose central message was the shockingly good news of God's unfailing love and compassion.

Peter says our faith in God is imperishable, undefiled, unfading, and is kept outside of the present time, space, cause and effect continuum, existing instead in God's eternal present where it never becomes obsolete. Our relationship with God cannot be severed. In the words of the Heidelberg Catechism . . .  "I am not my own, but belong-body and soul, in life and in death-to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ . . . . [And] because I belong to him, Christ, by his Holy Spirit, assures me of eternal life and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him."

Though we may suffer, succeed or fail, God's unfailing love is everlasting. So if you are feeling down on yourself or discouraged because you've failed, just remember that God's love for you has not changed one bit. Be grateful. Extend the same love to others, remembering the value of what you've received.

Prayer

God I thank you, blessed assurance, Jesus is mine / Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine / Heir of salvation / Purchased of God / Born in God's Spirit, Lost in God's love.  Amen.

Taken with permission from the UCC's StillSpeaking devotional. Visit UCC.org