|
from Joanna A question has been heavy on my heart this past week: what is salvation? What's the purpose? What about God's original design and heart? Did we miss something by only focusing on Jesus coming so we can be saved? Do we use salvation as a weapon to allow us to continue to enforce the rules? Let me explain. The message of salvation is focused mainly on being saved from hell, or so we can have people behave. And, yes, there are sayings such as, "It's about relationship and not religion," but what does that truly mean? Do we live like we have a connection with God or as if we even want to? I think we need to start the conversation with, do you know that an amazing God created you? That He loves you intensely? Have you ever had a conversation with Him? Did you know that He used to walk in the garden with us, His creation? He longs for you to connect with Him, so much that He sent His son to restore that connection with you. But, it gets even better; He desires to dwell inside of you! We use fear and coercion to push people towards salvation and wonder why nothing changes. Salvation is about being led back to our Creator, experiencing connection with Him, what we were created to have. God has spent every second since the garden pursuing to be in a restored connection with us. He has always reached down in conversation with us. Even before Jesus came, God was in pursuit of being closer to us. Looking throughout scripture from the Old Testament to the New, it is easy to read and observe His pursuit of us. He was in constant conversation with different people, sharing about His heart and who He is, who we are. God wanted to be back in closeness with us. He now dwells in us again after Christ died to erase the sin that blocked the connection. Now we get to experience the deepest type of connection through Holy Spirit living in us. Is your pursuit of God out of obligation or do you want to? Have you experienced a life driven by Holy Spirit or do you attempt to appear holy? "Let me emphasize this: As you yield to the dynamic life and power of the Holy Spirit, you will abandon the cravings of your self-life." Galatians 5:16 TPT
|
