Faith.
I was talking with Kevin tonight and something hit me. Something I said that I had never really thought about until it left my mouth. How often do I take time to thank God for His love?
None of us are worthy to enter into Heaven. We seperated ourselves from Him because He's perfect and we're sinful. So since we've chosen to be eternally seperated from Him in the first place it makes no sense why we'd complain about people not getting into Heaven when we chose it for ourselves. But God loved us so much that He was willing to cover our imperfections with Jesus blood by paying the price of death for us on a cross. His resurrection then let Him triumph over death and allows us to do the same if we give ourselves up for Him.
We are permitted into Heaven eternally! And do I rejoice for this on a day to day basis? No. I don't. Not even close. As we talked about Neal Morse's "Question Mark" album, it was almost as though I was put into the leper's shoes (or lack there of.) The album is basically about this leper who isn't allowed to be cleansed of his sins due to reasons of him being unfit for cleaning (leviticus 21:18). He sits outside the temple gates and intently gazes upon those who come through with envy that they can be forgiven. We're much like that leper, we're unworthy, dirty, untouchable. Heaven wasn't something we were able or worthy to attain. Then Jesus comes.
He tells us that we no longer need to go into God's temple to cleanse ourselves of our sins. He now cleanses us and makes US His temple. We are now the living temple of God. How exciting is that? It's so simple yet so unappreciated so many times. I'm just overjoyed that I'm able to become a child of God because He loves me enough to give me that chance, despite how undeserving I may be.
What's even more amazing is that He loves us enough to not only allow us passage into Heaven, but allow us to be His Hands and Feet on this earth. He's given each of talents, desires, passions to use for Him. We crawl through life so many times, but He's created us to run (another Neal Morse song.) Lets look for the person God created us to be.
I'm still waiting to hear from Liberty University on whether or not I made the full scholarship band. Regardless, Christ sits on the throne and rules over me. He suspends the planets, He knows every star by name, He created the earth and yet He still cares for me. How blessed am I to be counted as worthy in the eyes of the Almighty.
We were made to love. Lets show our love by living out the life He created us for. May God bless you friends. My prayers are with you.