1 John 3:19-21
19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. 20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
Have you ever considered how the truth that God is omniscient (He knows everything) relates to the Gospel? We saw in the previous verses how the love of God was made evident on the cross. While this is awesome, it is even more amazing when we look at the cross through the truth that God is all-knowing. Follow this through with me. Before God said “Let there be” He already knew you! Yes you! The one reading right now! The day your parents found out they were having a baby, the day you were born, your first day of school, when you were married, the day you will go into eternity and everything in between. Every thought, every failure, every sin, He knew before He ever created. He knew that Adam was going to fall, He new that Cain would murder, He Knew that David would commit adultery, He knew that many of those He would create in His image would reject Him and turn to idols. He knew what it would cost to redeem, He knew the cross was the only way, His blood was the only remedy – all of this before Genesis 1:1. Even with this knowledge He said “Let there be”.
I think of those parents who are told by their doctor that the child they were so joyful about would be born with some life-debilitating issue and that they had a choice – to end the pregnancy or choose to bring this child into the world knowing the struggle that the entire family would face. Many of them choose to do the right thing and bring the child into the world regardless, with the faith that this child was not a mistake, would not be a burden but would serve the purpose of showing the world a picture of God’s Grace as those parents Love that child with a love that is unconditional, simply because the child is theirs! My friends, do you see it? We are all handicapped by sin, we are all broken and bring nothing to God but a life that He chose to give us! And on that Cross – when Jesus Christ shed His precious blood for you and for me – He bore God’s wrath, took our sin and accomplished what He knew He had decided to do before the foundations of the world (Ephesians 1:4).
With that in mind you must choose – will you listen to your heart, or God’s truth? Scripture tells us that the heart is deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9). It will deceive you to believe that what you have done God cannot forgive. It will deceive you to believe that even as a child of His you can fall so many times that God will wash His hands of you and walk away. On the other hand – the truth in God’s word tells us that there is no pit of sin too deep that His grace cannot reach into and save your lost soul because His Grace is Greater (Romans 5:20). It tells us there is nothing we can do that will separate us from the Love of God (Romans 8:38-39). Which voice will you listen to today? The voice of a heart that condemns or the voice of God who is greater than our hearts?
Today, as we ReFocus our hearts and minds on Christ I want to simply ask you, “Which voice are you listening to today?” The lies that make you believe you have gone to far for God’s Grace to reach you? Or the voice of Truth that tells you His Grace is Greater!
If this post has helped reveal to you that you have been listening to the wrong voice and would like to know more about the forgiveness you can have through Christ, please let us know! Email us at ReFocus@hardisonbaptist.org!