Romans 4:13-5:16. Clearly, God’s promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was based not on his obedience to God’s law, but on a right relationship with God that comes by faith. If God’s promise is only for those who obey the law, then faith is not necessary and the promise is pointless. For the law always brings punishment on those who try to obey it. (The only way to avoid breaking the law is to have no law to break!) So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham’s. For Abraham is the father of all who believe.
You fret because you are so imperfect. You beat yourself up because you have some habitual sin you have not yet overcome. And in doing so, you impede my ability to communicate with you and help you to break those chains. Do I expect perfection from you? No. Do I believe you will never make mistakes, never sin? No. I know my children. I created you, in all of your imperfect glory. Yes, you are right at this moment a hot holy mess as you like to put it. But you are MY hot holy mess. You are my daughter. You are my child. You are my creation. And I love you, in all of your imperfection. I created you to be just who you are. Right now. In the state you are in. Did I create you with the plan that you remain who you are right this moment? No. Did I create you believing you would change who you are all by yourself? No. That is what I am for. That is what the indwelling of my Spirit is for. To guide you. To teach you. To help you. To change you from the inside out. But that is not possible when you are clogging your heart and mind with endless recriminations, endless self-judgment, when you just give up and believe you will always be a hot holy mess. Not true, my Child. Just abide. Rest. Lean into me. Stop flailing or you will certainly drown. Abide. I am here. Always. Stop. Breathe. Focus on my presence. And then let that presence work in and through you. Live out your faith. Trust me. Allow me to work. No timeline. No script. No expectations other than I love you and will always do what is best for you. That’s it. The rest is mine to decide, to plan, to execute, to work out in and through you. That’s how this works.
Amanuensis 