THANKFUL

Tuesday, April 19, 2022,

Lord, even though he loses every time, he just won’t quit. Since You revealed to me who You are and how Your grace and forgiveness gives me a new lease in life, I live with a hope and joy that I never knew was attainable. The revelation of what it means to be created in Your image changed my world. You are the God of relationship, and You wired humanity with the same desire.

I never realized the emptiness of life until I came to You, Lord. We all want to belong.  People have done crazy, regrettable things just to belong, to fit in with a group or ideology. Without a relationship with You, Lord, this broken world pressures us to participate in activities that can leave us feeling uncomfortable, but we do it anyway because we want to belong in some way. But Jesus, now that I’m in relationship with You, my former tormentor, the devil, refuses to let me forget my mistakes and poor life choices that caused me such embarrassment and shame. But, here is where Your Spirit punches the devil out cold. Your Word is clear for those who belong to You, Lord. “I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more” (Jeremiah 31:34).

Now, whenever the devil comes around trying to remind me of my past, I simply point to the cross and say, “You’ll have to take that up with Jesus.” Amen.