No more hiding...

Lately, when I get away to spend time with Jesus, I am beyond comforted by the image of just resting in His arms, with my head against His chest. I get a little teary because His tender love is so palpable. So unconditional. So beyond my understanding. But He always, always holds me close, no matter what I've done/thought/said that day. There's never anything but grace and love spilling from His face. 

This morning I realized something. I've always heard "sin separates us from God," and that is the premise for Jesus coming to set us free and bring us back home. Makes sense to me. But what I realized  is that when we get so distracted by the weight of our sin, the self-hatred of not living up to our own expectations, we hide. Just like Adam and Eve in the garden. Just like kids who stole cookies from the cookie jar, faces covered with chocolate. We hide because we feel ashamed. 

That, I believe, is the biggest trick of the devil. Because the whole time God is right there. Looking for us. Calling our name, arms open. Like in the story of the prodigal son, when the son comes back, the father runs to him. I love that image of an old man running to his son. He wants nothing more than to BE with us. Can you grasp that?? 

I don't want to believe the lies anymore. I don't want to be deceived into thinking that I have to live in absolute perfection, following the law to a tee, to be able to be in the presence of my Father. The only true peace I've ever felt is in His arms. Even when I'm not living up to who I want to be. I'm not suggesting sin is a thing to be embraced. What I am saying is that I am my own worst enemy when I allow my disgust for my sin to become bigger than God's grace. I lose focus of where I belong. 

Think about what's holding you back from being held in His arms of grace. Throw it off, and run to Him. It's where you belong.