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A Cinderella Story
From My Blog Archives: No Matter What
Summer Study in Colossians
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July 29, 2008
Dear Friends:julie2
 
We are sons and daughters of God, yet our lives too often do not reflect that reality. Today's Digest focuses on the implications of that relationship and how it should impact us.
 
Are you feeling guilty that you have not spent enough time in God's Word this summer? Check out the opportunity at the bottom of this newsletter to work your way through Colossians with me by the end of August!
 
Please use the link at the very bottom of this email and forward it on to a friend who could use some encouragement! Thanks!
 
Love, Julie
A Cinderella Story
cinderellaWhen I was a little girl, my favorite fairy tale hands down was Cinderella. The well-known story is familiar to just about anyone.  You remember: Cinderella spends her youth scrubbing floors and catering to the demands of her nasty stepmother and stepsisters. When an invitation comes to the prince's ball, the privileged of the household go off in their finest to attend, leaving Cinderella alone and dejected. Magically, the fairy godmother arrives in the nick of time, and with a wave of her wand, changes Cinderella's clothing from itchy, woolen homespun rags into a dress of finest silk. Cinderella arrives at the palace, effortlessly wins the prince's heart, but then must hurry out of the castle by midnight, inadvertently leaving one glass slipper behind in her retreat. You know the ending, of course; the prince uses the glass slipper to find his one true love again and whisks Cinderella away to live as his princess happily ever after.
 
I used to pretend I was Cinderella. I wasn't so hot on the housework part, but I did love catching the eye of the handsome prince. Wearing the ball gown ranked right up there as well. The transformation process of going from drab and needy to dramatically beautiful has great appeal to many of us. The latest plethora of makeover shows, from fashion to homes, is evidence of this. We all love a Cinderella story.
 
Assuredly, the best Cinderella story on record is the very real transformation that God has accomplished in us. We were destitute and without hope when He reached down and grasped us from the jaws of death. Like the father welcoming the prodigal son, He replaced our rags with the finest of robes, befitting of our new status as sons and daughters of the King. Isaiah put it this way: "My soul will exult in my God; For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels" (Isaiah 61:10). We who were once alienated and hostile toward God now are presented as holy and blameless (Colossians 1:21-2).  He transformed us from being slaves to sin to the bride of Christ. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come" (2 Corinthians 5:17).
 
It was an amazing transformation. In light of this, it is hard to understand how easily we turn our backs on what God offers to invest our time and energy pursuing opposing interests. Paul instructed the Christians in Colossae: "Consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed . . . Put aside anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth" (Colossians 3:5, 8) Instead, he urges: "Clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience . . . beyond all these things put on love" (Colossians 3:12, 14). Too often, we exchange our new, costly garments for the old, scratchy sackcloth we discarded at our salvation. However, we are new creatures. The old garment just doesn't fit right anymore. It is certainly not befitting to our new title of prince or princess of the King.
 
Can you imagine if Cinderella, after marrying her prince, decided to shed her princess-befitting gowns of finest silk to don the old rags she wore as a scullery maid once again? The servants in the palace would have thought she had lost her mind. Why would anyone choose rags over the finest garments? Did she not understand she was a princess now?
 
The angels think the same of us each time we choose our own agenda over the opportunity to participate in the Kingdom of Light. It is no less than absurd that we would ever willfully choose the old over the new, especially in light of what we have been given. 
 
Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering an a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. . . For you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of the Light. Ephesians 5:1, 2, 8
From My Blog Archives
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
No Matter What
When my children were little, we moved into a larger home. It was not only larger in size, but larger in mortgage payment. In order to survive the firstwedding cake couple of years until our income caught up with our purchase, we rented a room. Our first renter was a college student who attended a nearby school. He was very artistic, and made ends meet while in school by making wedding cakes: big, towering, beautiful wedding cakes. They were truly works of art. Since I had no furniture in our dining room as of yet, I allowed him to use that room for the construction and decoration of the cakes. The children were under strict orders to not step one foot in that room, for obvious reasons.

Well, as you can imagine, with small children in the house, one day the inevitable happened. My renter came out of the dining room with murder in his eyes. "Someone has ruined my cake!" he roared, giving my children the evil eye. It wasn't hard to find the culprit. My daughter still had traces of frosting on her cheek.

We took the infraction very seriously. Melanie was sent to her room after a spanking and not allowed to watch TV for the rest of the day (which is a long time for a five year old!). Her dad and I accompanied her to the renter's room where she apologized for her actions, and he told her that he had forgiven her. Afterward, we had a serious talk with her about the incident. She was truly sorry, and shed many tears for her actions. In the long run, as embarrassing as the whole thing was (from a parent's perspective), it only took about 20 minutes total for the renter to repair the cake. As far as I was concerned, the incident was over.

Two days later, I heard the renter talking to Melanie again. He was bringing up the incident, once again chastising her for what she had done. In fact, he was getting down right nasty about it all over again. I rushed to my daughter's aid. In no uncertain terms, I informed this college student that forgiveness meant not bringing it up again, at least in a hurtful way as he was doing. It was time to let it go.

What made the difference between how he and I viewed the incident? He was renting a room. He had no emotional investment in my daughter. She was just a necessary part of the household in which he was living. I, on the other hand, loved my daughter more than myself. I would do anything to serve her best interests. I delighted in her intelligence, humor, and the adorable way she looked at life. She meant everything to me.

So it should come as no surprise that while our renter struggled to forgive Melanie, it was no big struggle for me. I loved her.

If we can possess that kind of love as parents, why is it so hard to believe the same kind of love exists in our Heavenly Father? In our heads we often link obedience with His approval. When we blow it, we fear that He will not forgive, at least not until we have somehow made it up to Him. Our concept of being loved by God too often seems to hang on our actions.

This is bad theology. God's love for His people has never been conditional. While blessings sometimes are connected to obedience, His love for us never is. Ever. John wrote, "We love Him because He first loved us." Did you catch the order? He loved us. Then we responded by loving Him. Paul told the Corinthians: But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Paul goes on two verses later to use even stronger language. "For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!"(Romans 5:8, 10, italics added)

So if His love for us, demonstrated by His sacrifice and free gift of salvation, was not conditional, why would we try to make it conditional once we have been saved? God does not change. Nor will His love.

A wonderful example of God's unconditional love is found in Numbers 14:11. God had been working with His chosen people, patiently demonstrating His power and tender care. Yet they continued to be a stiff-necked people, refusing to live in submission to the God of the Universe. Wouldn't you think that at some point God would have given up on them in disgust and turned away? Instead, He grieved. "How long will they not believe in Me? Despite all the signs I performed?" In spite of their unfaithfulness and lack of response, God remained in love with His people.

He loves us the same way. He can't be anything less than God. And John tells us "God is love." Certainly our sin does often have consequences as we draw away from Him in our disobedience. He loves us perfectly, which means He will not allow us to charge down a path to our own destruction. So He lovingly puts up obstacles to get our attention and get us back on the right path. But while He does so, it is all done in love, with our best interests in mind.

Before the world began, you were on his mind
Every tear you've cried is precious in his sight
Because of his great love, he gave his only Son
And everything was done so you could come.
There's nothing you can do to make him love you more
And nothing that you've done can make him close the door
Because of his great love, he gave his only Son
And everything was done so you could come.

Come to the Father, though your gift is small
Broken hearts, broken lives, he will take them all.
The power of the Word, the power of his blood,
Everything was done so you would come.
 

(Lyrics by Darlene Zschech; If you would like to see and hear a video of this song, click here.)
Summer Study  in Colossians
 
Summer is a busy time, and we can often allow our many activities to force our time in God's Word to the back burner. It's not too late to change all that!  Each week day, I am posting a section of Colossians for us to ponder, systematically working our way through this remarkable letter by the apostle Paul.  
Please join me by clicking on this link:
juliecoleman.blogspot.com and begin a month of short studies together!  Today is day six, but it is not too late to start; if you are just beginning, scroll down to day one and work your way up.
 
Be sure to pass the link on to others who might enjoy a month-long study this summer!