I Have All I Need

The list of things I wish I had is very, very long. More time to golf. More money saved for retirement. A pickup for camping trips. Time to fish. Time to read the rest of my books. And on it goes! Besides being dissatisfied by my wants, I can get bothered by
small things. Sometimes I get frustrated about a stray remark by The Lovely Joanne, trying to defend myself against criticism that she didn't even mean. Sometimes I start thinking that maybe if I worked harder, God would love me and I would be happier. Well, I believe I've found the problem, and the solution to all these issues. The problem is inside me:  on some level I still don't believe God loves me and will give me all I need, so I feel like I have to work extra hard for his approval, spend energy worrying, and defend myself.

But that's not what the Bible says about me (and you!). Here are a few examples:

• We share the Father's love for Jesus: "...you love them as much as you love me" (John 17:23)
• We are Jesus' brothers and sisters: "Go tell my brothers [the disciples]"  (Matt. 28:10)
• We are friends of God: "I no longer call you slaves...Now you are my friends" (John 15:15)
• Jesus loves us like the Father loves him: "I have loved you even as the Father has loved me." John 15:9
• We have been chosen, specifically, by God: "You didn’t choose me. I chose you." (John 15:16)

There are many, many more of these verses, all showing that God our loving Father accepts us because he loves us, and that's it. He loves us so much he went to the trouble of sending the Son into human flesh to be our perfect Representative, to perform all the performance that will ever be needed (which is good -- let's face it, our performance is spotty and unpredictable!). There's nothing left to prove! How much more secure could you get?

So long as I remember that, I'm okay. But sometimes the lies in my head start up again and I start trying to prove something on my own. That's when I really mess up. Because all sin has its roots in a belief that we do not truly belong to the Father. That belief will always mess up our thinking. On the other hand, security and inner peace, remembering the Father's love and our belonging in him, doesn't leave any need for "working it out on our own."  If I am feeling completely secure in Christ, I don't need do worry about the future, pile up more stuff, or defend myself. I can simply rest in him and relax.

Psalm 23 says the same kind of thing, and was written 1,00 years before Jesus came to affirm it to us: "The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need." I'm much more determined this year to live in that everyday truth. Is it true for you yet? Are you living in it?