June 14th, 20

JUNE 14,   He Wants to Strengthen You

Today’s readings are I Kings 16, II Chronicles 15-16, and Colossians 1.  We are reading from the New Living Translation.

God has finally found what he’s looking for.  He searches all over the world, we’re told in II Chronicles 16:9.  

The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.

God finds what he is looking for, but not in Asa or his father, Abijah, or any of the kings of Israel or Judah.  He finds what he is looking for, in His Son.  His eyes have searched the whole earth from the beginning of time, to find that person whose heart is fully committed to him.  There’s only one person who has lived that quality of life – it’s not you, me, Asa, or Abijah.  It’s the Son.  The eyes of the Father lit upon the Son.  When he saw the son he said,

This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. (Mt 17:5 NLT)

This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. (Mt 3:17 NLT)

He finds what he’s looking for in the Son.  And now, by God’s grace, you can be found in the Son.  So God can find what he’s looking for, in you.  

Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault. (Col 1:22 NLT)

God has found what he’s looking for in you, Christian.  Because you now stand before him without fault, holy and blameless in his presence. Christ has reconciled you to himself, by His death on the cross. On the cross, he has won for His father, many sons and daughters. So that, now, God can find more of what he is looking for.  He is finding it in you.

Do you know that you are blameless, without a single fault, and holy? Do you know that God has found what he is looking for, in you, because you are in Christ?  And it’s not because of anything you have done, but what Christ has done for you? Do you know that?  Have you entered into the joy of that? Have you found what you’re looking for?  Do you realize that you can be found in Him? What Christ has done for you on the cross has brought you into His life. Now you can live with strength, confidence, joy, and peace.  All these things have been won for you.

Colossians 1:27 says, For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.

That’s the Good News – the Gospel!  Apply that to your heart today, and every day!  God has found what he is looking for in his Son and you can be found in him, too.  You have been found, without fault, holy and blameless, because of Christ.  Now, abide in him as he is in you, and have his joy.

You are loved!