Sunday, January 16, 2011

Daily Light - January 16, 2011

Daily Light from the Lighthouse
40 Days of Faith

"But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country.
Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God,
for He has prepared a city for them."
Hebrews 11:16

On the night of Jesus' arrest, He sat with His disciples and told them that He had to go away. He went to the Father with the purpose of preparing a place for them and all of those that would believe on His name. There would come a day when He would return and gather the children of His Father to Himself so that they could spend eternity with Him. During each difficult day that they lived on this earth, this message must have played through the minds of the disciples over and over again. As each one of them eventually faced persecution, they held tightly to the promise that there was the hope of a heavenly country ahead of them.
Why would God do such a thing for us? Why would the completely divine and holy God care about sinful man enough to give His life for them and prepare a place for us to dwell with Him? This unbroken eternal fellowship was what God intended at creation. He chose to create man so that He might demonstrate His eternal love to us. Unfortunately, man made a choice to neglect God's will and turn to his own ways; therefore, the eternal fellowship was broken. But God, who is merciful as well as just, provided a way of renewed fellowship with Him. Those who come to Him by grace through faith have an eternal hope.
One such man of faith was Abraham. He left all that was familiar to walk in the way and will of God. We are told in the Scriptures that God called him "friend". As a believer that has trusted in the finished work of Christ on the cross, how can you not be excited to read that God is not ashamed to be called your God? He has loved you and known you before the foundation of the world. He has accepted you and given you a sure hope in spite of yourself. He loves you as His child, and amazingly He wants to spend eternity with you. Don't let the thought that it is a divine choice for Him to let you into His kingdom pass you by. This is by faith truly amazing grace!
May you call Him your God today!

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