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Observation

Law book closed. Sacrificial system cancelled. Religion called off. Why? Firstly, they failed to achieve the goal. Secondly, there is a far better hope, a better way, a way that saves “fully from now throughout eternity, everyone.” We don’t come to God through efforts of self, we come to God “through him.” We no longer sacrifice ourselves on the ‘follow the rules’ burdensome treadmill. We no longer bring sacrifices to cover our sins. We no longer do anything but come to God through Jesus and the sacrifice he offered of himself. We no longer bring our sacrifices he has become the full and final sacrifice.

So why do we still pedal rules and point fingers? Why do we still demand sacrifices of attendance, moral behaviour, and finances? When it’s all done, all complete and all forever when intimacy with God is now open and available for all, why do we bring barriers to entry? Why are we so desperate to put ourselves into the salvation story? Is it our lust for power that comes from being able to judge? Is it the security that comes from being able to control what I have made it through my works? Are we just so ingrained with the message that you have to earn and deserve that a free gift is too good to be true? Or are we concerned, even scared, that this level of freedom will let the riff-raff

into the presence of God? Or are we worried and afraid that with no stick and carrot in our hands, we will not be able to manipulate people into behaving appropriately? Is it all of the above? Does God know what he’s doing?

When you remove all the demands, you remove all judgement, you close down religion and mankind’s power and manipulation, all you are left with is total freedom given in absolute love. God has gone ahead and saved us all for all time, no questions asked, no demands made, just the simple offer “come.” Love does not demand we come, but she throws the door open, kicks off the party, sends the invitation, buys me a new suit for the party, and then waits for me to come. Could God have thrown the door any wider open? Is this not what true love does, gives itself completely without regard for the merit of the one being loved? God tells us that she is love, and then we wonder why she behaves so lovingly. We come to the God who is love and say “Love us a little less, this love is too dangerous.” And she replies “I don’t know how to be, do, express myself any other way than absolute love.”

Here is why – love desires confident intimacy. We hold ourselves back when we are unsure how we will be received. We hide the ugly of self because we don’t want to be rejected. But true intimacy has no hiddenness, so God makes us fully and perfectly acceptable to himself by himself, based on nothing of ourselves, so we can bring ourselves in total confidence to experience the intimacy of himself. Every law, every sacrifice, and every demand of religion, attacks my confidence for intimacy for it has me asking, “Have I done enough, have I done it right, am I acceptable or should I hide?” And the greater the demands the less I am confident, so the less I come, intimacy is destroyed. When we become the pedlars of law, sacrifice and religious demands, we launch an all-out assault on love. I don’t want to wage that war!

Application

Come. Freely, confidently, forever, come and enjoy the intimacy of love himself. Never rearm law, sacrifice or religion by making it part of the salvation, I am acceptable and right, story with me and God. Receive the offer, embrace by faith, that Jesus is enough for my righteousness.

Response

Thank you that this is the story you invite me to live. Thank you for this amazing freedom to live intimately loved. Every story of my life is shaped and stands on this foundation of knowing I am always and completely forever loved. It shapes every circumstance, it shapes my actions, it shapes my desires, it shapes my thinking. This is a great life, the life of being confidently loved.

Meditation

Meditate – far better hope which gives us the confidence to experience intimacy with God!

Consider:
In what ways in life do I live by law, sacrifice and religion?
Am I experiencing the intimate love of God?