And you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s. 1 Corinthians 3:23 (NKJV)
I smiled at the sky since I was a little girl and talked to God. Walking home the short block from my elementary school to my house, I looked up at the big blue sky and smiled. If I was inside my house and wanted to smile at God, I would hurry to a window just to see a piece of blue sky. Sadly, I drifted away as the cares of junior high hurt my soul. But I returned to my church in college to teach Sunday school and serve as a deacon, though I still didn’t know Jesus. When the tragedy of losing my college cross country team in a plane crash came, I ran away from God completely for two whole years, doing things my own way. Yet someone must have been praying for me, as I was introduced to God’s Son Jesus through dear friends. From then on, I smiled up at the blue sky again with a big “hello Jesus,” wondering upon which cloud He will return (Revelation 1:7).
Some of you might be in this spot, too, faithfully serving God at church, teaching Sunday school, helping with the coffee hour, singing in the choir, taking care of your husband and children… and God loves you and sees all the good you are doing. And TODAY, He wants YOU to truly know the One you’ve been serving all this time, the One He sent to earth to show what He is like (John 14:9). TODAY He wants you to welcome Jesus as Your Lord and Savior, admitting your sins and asking Him into your heart. All those Sunday school lessons you taught from Adam and Eve and the serpent who brought this world into sin, to the baby Jesus who came at Christmas will all “click” for you as you know Jesus, God’s Son. The words of all those hymns you sing will suddenly be so full of meaning. All those cookies you serve at Fellowship will now give you joy as you realize you are feeding Jesus’ sheep. And If you are a mom, caring for children, you will learn how precious children are to Jesus and He is smiling at all you do. Whatever you do now, you will do it all for the glory of God (1 Cor.10:31), knowing that you are Christ’s.
Ascribe strength to God;
His excellence is over Israel,
And His strength is in the clouds. Psalm 68:34 (NKJV)
Dear one, Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life and no one comes to the Father but through Him (John 14:6). His fervent desire is to be with you (Luke 22:15). I pray that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:17-19). Remember our Savior the next time you look up at the big blue sky.
Today’s TEA CUPP: Read Acts 16:13-15 for the story of a woman who came to know Jesus while serving Him. Oh, TEA friend, won’t you please give your heart to Jesus today, too? Pray the salvation prayer. If you aren’t already on a Bible reading plan, how about beginning with a chapter of John each day? You will get to know Jesus, your Savior, to whom you now belong. Welcome to God’s family, dear sister!
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name. John 1:12 (NKJV)
And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. Galatians 3:29 (NKJV)
The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. Romans 8:16 (NKJV)
Dear Jesus, I want to be in Your family. I want to be Your child and be washed clean from all the bad things I’ve done in my life, all the times I didn’t listen to You, all the times I went my own way. Please scrub away all my selfishness and pride and everything else I’ve done that is not of You. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit and be with me each day. Help me walk on Your straight and narrow path. I believe You are my Savior who died for my sins. I believe You rose again and are preparing a place for me in heaven. I believe You are the only Way, the only Lord, the only God. Please help me live as Your daughter from this moment forward. Pick me up when I stumble. Thank you for loving me and dying for me and letting me be in Your family. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Scripture from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson