Saturday, March 24, 2018

The Day Grace Happened to You

He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross 
so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right.
By his wounds you are healed.
1 Peter 2:24 
Christ took away your sins. Where did he take them? To the top of a hill called Calvary, where he endured just the nails of the Romans, the mockery of the crowed, and the spear of the soldier but the anger of God.
     Saturate your heart in this, the finest summary of God's greatest accomplishment : "God in his gracious kindness declares us not guilty. He has done this  through Christ Jesus, who has freed us by taking away our sins. For God sent Jesus to take the punishment for our sins and satisfy God's anger against us. We are made right with God when we believe that Jesus shed his blood, sacrificing his life for us"
     God didn't overlook your sins, lest he endorse them. He didn't punish you, lest he destroy you. He instead found a way to punish the sin and preserve the sinner. Jesus tool your punishment, and God gave you credit for Jesus' perfection.
     As long as the cross is God's gift to the world, it will touch you but not change you. Precious as it is to proclaim, "Christ died for the world," even sweeter it is to  whisper, "Christ died for me."
    Thank God for the day Jesus took your place, for the day grace happened to you.
Max Lucado の 「God Is with You Every Day」より
キリストの十字架が、自分のためだったと考えることを信仰と呼ぶのだと思う。
"Christ died for me" 、関係を認めること。
キリストが自分のために十字架にかかったのなら、私とキリストはのっぴきならない、大変な深い関係であると考えるのは、もしかしたら、5歳だってできるかもしれない。