Too easily forgotten...

There are many things throughout the day and week I won't forget to do, most especially eating!  lol. Calendars ensure I won't forget work schedules, appointments, birthdays, church events and social engagements.  To do lists keep me organized at home and at work so that no task will be forgotten.

On an emotional level, I don't forget to love or that I am loved by my husband, children, parents, brothers, extended family and brothers and sisters in the Lord, EVEN if those relationships become difficult, as normally can happen in any relationship dynamic.

Why then, is it so easy for me to forget that I am loved by God, a Love that suffered and died on the cross, for ME!

While studying Galations chapter 2, the answer to this question came to me...

"Yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified."  Galations 2:16  Too often, while I  believe that I am saved through faith, trusting in Jesus death on the cross to justify me before a Holy God,  I can still find myself "going through the motions" of my Christian walk in "my own power".  Without setting out to do so, I am essentially adding "works" to my faith.  My motivation in spiritual things becomes obligation or rote.  I forget that "I have been crucified with Christ.  It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.  And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who LOVED me and gave himself for me."  Galations 2:20-21 

 The true root cause of my tendency to "go through the motions" in my Christian walk is forgetting that "I am as loved by God as if I had lived the life Christ lived.  So, it is not 'me that lives, but Christ'.",   and  "ONLY WHEN I SEE MYSELF AS COMPLETELY LOVED AND HOLY IN CHRIST WILL I HAVE THE POWER TO REPENT WITH JOY, CONQUER MY FEARS, AND OBEY THE ONE WHO DID ALL THIS FOR ME."  - Galations for You, Timothy Keller.  I re-read those passages over and over so that their meaning would sink deep within me.  Even my fears, which I spoke of in my previous post, are rooted in my forgetfulness of God's love for me!  "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.  For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love."  1 John 4:18

I have been perfected in Love and I need to start living that way!

The following verses are wonderful reminders of God's great love for us.  I hope to commit them to my heart so that I will always be motivated by His Love in all that I say and do.

The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love; He will exult over you with loud singing.  Zephaniah 3:17

But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.  Psalm 86:15

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.  For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 8:37-39

GOD LOVES YOU!  :-)

You might find me on these link-ups:
Grace & Truth Link-up, Woman to Woman Ministries,  Growing in Grace Link-up, Titus 2 Tuesday Link-up, 3DLessons4Life, Livefree Thursday