Your concept of God determines your confidence in approaching Him. Do you always view Him like an auditor, and your books don’t balance? Or do you view Him like a father who loves you at all times and wants to be good to you? When approaching God, many of us consult a mental scorecard to see whether we have more wins than losses, rights than wrongs, credits than demerits. If we feel like we’re not performing well, we avoid God or make Him our last resort. That’s a mistake because God sees you ‘in Christ’ (2 Corinthians 5:17), and therefore, you are always accepted and welcomed into His presence. You say, ‘Does that mean I can live any way I please?’ No, ‘the Lord disciplines the one he loves’ (Hebrews 12:6 NIV). But His correction is not rejection; it’s proof that you are truly His redeemed child. Here is a Scripture you need to meditate on: ‘Therefore the Lord [earnestly] waits [expecting, looking, and longing] to be gracious to you; and therefore He lifts Himself up, that He may have mercy on you and show loving-kindness to you. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are all those who [earnestly] wait for Him, who expect and look and long for Him [for His victory, His favour, His love, His peace, His joy, and His matchless, unbroken companionship]!’ (Isaiah 30:18 AMPC). Note God’s attitude towards you today: ‘The Lord [earnestly] waits [expecting, looking, and longing] to be gracious to you.’ Keep that picture in mind, and begin to expect good things from God.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.