Week 1 | Day 3 | Come as You Are

Command:

I am the way and the truth and the life. John 14:6 NIV

Read:

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV

Reflect:

When I came to faith in Jesus, I was a little confused about the requirements of having a “personal relationship” with him. My best friend told me that all I had to do was “believe in your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord.” “That’s it? No clean up necessary? Too easy!” As welcoming as my friend’s invitation was, I was still on the fence. My faith background involved lots of jumping through hoops and earning merit points by obeying the commandments. That’s how I thought you earned a ticket to heaven.  

As a young adult, I walked away from the faith. It was not so much that I didn’t like the rituals and liturgy; it was more because I grew up tiptoeing around rules. I was a rebellious child. Harsh discipline caused me to develop the false narrative that God was watching my every move, waiting for me to mess up. To earn his good graces, I was supposed to be good all the time. I had to aspire to perfection. It was too hard. So, I dropped out.      

Then my friend invited me to “come and see.” Her genuine acceptance of me just as I was is what drew me back to Jesus. I came to realize that “getting saved” was not so much perfectly obeying his commands, it was more responding to Jesus’ love through following his ways. 

React:

Have you developed a false image of God that keeps you from having a personal relationship with Jesus? 

Pray:

Jesus, thank you for the grace which saves us. Thank you for who you are and for loving us just as we are.