Apart from God We Are Lost
Apart from God we are nothing. Even if we’d like to think otherwise. Apart from God we don’t even know who we really are. Apart from God we are completely and utterly lost. Blaise Pascal has said: “Not only do we not know God except through Jesus Christ; We do not even know ourselves except through Jesus Christ.”
You were lost sheep with no idea who you were or where you were going. Now you’re named and kept for good by the Shepherd of your souls.(1 Peter 2:25, MSG)
When we have placed our faith in Jesus he will tell us who we really are: Children of God, friends of Jesus, disciples of Christ. God gives us our value and shows us the way. Apart from God we are lost but in Jesus we find ourselves.
We are heirs of God’s kingdom and even though we are still on our way to heaven we can already live in God’s kingdom through the Holy Spirit. It is up to us to take up on God’s offer and really live fully in God’s kingdom. Don’t let this offer pass without holding on to it with everything you got. There’s nothing better on this earth than living in the fullness of God’s grace.
Read what happened to Simon after he understood Jesus was the Messiah:
He [Jesus] pressed them, “And how about you? Who do you say I am?”Simon Peter said, “You’re the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus came back, “God bless you, Simon, son of Jonah! You didn’t get that answer out of books or from teachers. My Father in heaven, God himself, let you in on this secret of who I really am. And now I’m going to tell you who you are, really are. You are Peter, a rock. This is the rock on which I will put together my church, a church so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out.
“And that’s not all. You will have complete and free access to God’s kingdom, keys to open any and every door: no more barriers between heaven and earth, earth and heaven. A yes on earth is yes in heaven. A no on earth is no in heaven.” (Matthew 16: 15-19, MSG)
At this point, Simon had not proved to be faithful or worthy of becoming a leader. But Jesus saw Peter, a rock, in him. If God can make a leader out of Simon, none of us is disqualified from God’s service. God does not call only qualified people but he equips all the people he calls.
God knows us by our names and he has unique plans for each of us. Through Jesus we receive both the gift of salvation AND the task to passing it on to others so that they can also be saved by grace through faith.
Through him we received both the generous gift of his life and the urgent task of passing it on to others who receive it by entering into obedient trust in Jesus. You are who you are through this gift and call of Jesus Christ! (Romans 1: 6-7, MSG)
As we let the Holy Spirit work in us and through us we are being changed, just like Peter, into the person God created us to be. Becoming a person of grace is a lifelong process but when we are in Christ we start bearing spiritual fruit according to God’s plan for us.
The deeper we dwell in God the better we start to grasp who we are and what God has called us to do. The closer to Christ we stay the clearer the image of our lives becomes. And the more intertwined with the Spirit we are the more robustly we live!
Gracious God,
Thank you for the gift of salvation.
Help us to remember that
you also called us to work for you.
Change us into what you’ve called us to be.
Enable us to live robustly in you.
Strengthen our faith and
equip us for your service.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
Q4U: What is your identity in Christ? What is your calling?
Be blessed, my fellow pilgrim, as you are made what you were created to be & as you serve Christ according to your calling!
Photo courtesy of Ty Carlson
4 thoughts on “Apart from God We Are Lost”
Amen…apart from Him we are nothing…with Him we can do anything! Thanks fo rthe encouragement!
Thank you, Jay! It truly is wonderful to live in Him! Be blessed, brother!
My loving sister ,I came across this blog when i was depressed asking lord can i be of any use to you or any one.Thankyou sister this blog was a reeal eye opener.Praise God now i know i am Special in Christ.
Shini George
How wonderful, Shini! Praise the Lord indeed! You are so very special in His eyes and He has special plans for you that nobody else can do. Seek Him with everything you’ve got and He will answer to you. Thanks so much letting me know this post blessed you. May God continue to bless you and guide you clearly. You are loved!