Reflection

Is it just me or do you ever pause to reflect on who you are now versus who you used to be? This is not a "I can't believe how old I am" post but it does come on the cuff of my 32nd birthday week. And I can't help but realize just how far reaching and deep God's grace can go.

The transformation that I have experienced in my 31 years is nothing short of miraculous. To some, my past may seem quite benign but to the One that knows my heart better than I know myself, my past is full of wickedness in thought and deed. I think back to the many poor choices I made in young adulthood and marvel at how my Father not only protected me from tangible consequences but how He held my soul in the palm of His hand and protected my eternal future.

It is no coincidence that I am currently learning about the promise of eternal security for all believers in my studies at church. God does not mince words when He has Paul explain just how safe our souls are in the hands of an almighty and just God.

Romans 8:35-39 is quickly becoming one of my favorite Bible passages:

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, 'For your sake we are being killed all the daylong; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.' No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

This message is worthy of much meditation. And the more I think on it, the more I am shaken to my core. My eternal security is not about how tightly I can hold on to Christ. It's about how tightly He is holding on to me! Do you fully appreciate that statement? Beyond the sacrifice, beyond the suffering, beyond the love above all loves, God continues to draw His children closer and continues to transform us into the Christ-like disciples we are called to be.

I am not as Christ-like as I desire to be. And I realize I will never be close to perfect in this world. But today, as I look back on the past 10 years of my life, I can clearly see God's hand in it. His hands have been a protector and punisher. His hands have directed and drawn. His hands have pushed and pulled. His hands have received anger and adoration. His hands have given lessons and love. But never, not even once, was I ever outside of His hands. And for that, I am grateful. For I am not the woman I once was.

His love is strong and His love is eternal. Not even death can separate me from the love of my God! It's no wonder that my sinful past can't even make a dent in my relationship with Christ. As usual, my thoughts are disjointed at best. But my message is this: Not because of who I am, but because of who He is, I am a child of God and I am actively being drawn closer to my Father. My God is bigger than my sin.