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God’s Got You in His Grip {No Matter What Monday}

March 19, 2018 by Marissa 1 Comment

Last week, my kids and I walked through an unfamiliar city on our way to a concert. As I started to cross a wide street, my daughter hesitated and looked around anxiously. She didn’t want to follow me as confidently I stepped off the curb.

“Mom? Are you sure we should be crossing here?”

“Sweetheart, am I holding your hand?”

“Yes.”

“Then you can relax. You can let me take care of keeping you safe.”

My daughter didn’t look down the street and see the road blocks that kept that block car-free. She didn’t have the life experience to know that a concert venue plus large crowds plus police blockades equals safety crossing the street. She became anxious because she forgot that the one who holds her hand cares for her more than she can imagine.

Each week, I send out these Monday devotionals to my email subscribers. I sign my emails with “In His grip.” It’s an intentional reminder of a truth that brings me great comfort—I’m in God’s hands. He’s holding on to me, and I’m safe and secure in Christ.

In John 10:27-29, Jesus said: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.”

Those who belong to Christ can never be snatched from His hand. We can count on this promise because our heavenly Father is greater than all. If He’s holding us, we can trust that He won’t let go. There is nothing that can loosen His grip. One of my favorite songs, “In Christ Alone,” puts it this way: “No power of hell, no scheme of man, can ever pluck me from His hand.”

You will face trouble and suffering in this world. But if you are in Christ, nothing you face can ever separate you from God’s loving hold on you (Romans 8:38-39). He’s got you, and He won’t let go.

No matter what you face this week, God’s got you in His grip.

Christ Jesus Made You His Own {No Matter What Monday}

February 26, 2018 by Marissa Leave a Comment

This week I’m taking my oldest child, who just turned 14, to test for his driving permit. (Pray for me!) To receive his permit, we need to take my driver’s license, to prove that I’m an Arkansas resident, and my child’s birth certificate, to prove that he belongs to me.

Because he’s my child, my son has certain privileges and also responsibilities. He doesn’t get food, clothing, shelter, and love because he’s earned them, and he doesn’t finish his chores each week to secure his status as our child. But rather, he receives privileges and has responsibilities because he’s our child.

I couldn’t deny my son even if I wanted to—the state of Indiana made it official in 2004 when they put my name on his birth certificate. In the coming years, there might be days when he ignores me, questions my goodness to him, or strays from my instructions. But nothing will change the fact that he belongs to me.

In Philippians 3, Paul makes this beautiful statement as he discusses his striving in the Christian life:

“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” (Philippians 3:12)

The gifts we receive from Christ and our obedience to Christ both flow from what Christ has done for us—He’s made us His own. Paul revels in his status as God’s child, not because of a righteousness of his own, but because of a righteousness from God through faith (Phil. 3:9). He knows he isn’t perfect, but he’s secure in the perfection of Christ.

Because of this solid standing before God, Paul is pressing on in his faith (Phil. 3:13-14). We don’t chase after holiness as a way of proving ourselves to God. We pursue righteousness because the Righteous One has pursued and taken hold of us.

I hope this brings you comfort today, friend. Whether you’re struggling through suffering or wrestling with sin, remember that Christ Jesus died to make you His own. You can rest securely in His love for you.

No matter what you face this week, Christ Jesus has made you His own.

God Loved You First {No Matter What Monday}

February 12, 2018 by Marissa 1 Comment

It’s the age-old question: Which came first, the chicken or the egg? I’m no philosopher, and I haven’t figured out the answer to that one. But there’s an even more important question that God’s Word answers for us: Which came first, God’s love for us or our love for Him?

The stakes are high with this question. If God’s love for me follows my love for Him, then His love for me depends on my faithfulness. If I stop loving God, He might stop loving me.

But if God loved me first, before I had done anything to earn His love, then I am secure. I am loved no matter how many times I fail Him, forget Him, or falter in my faith.

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved.” (Ephesians 2:4–5)

God loved us when we were dead in our sin. Before we ever loved Him, God sent Jesus to die for us (Rom. 5:8, I John 4:10).

God loved us because of His mercy. He made us alive with Christ and saved us by His grace. None of it depended on our love for Him—praise the Lord!

God’s love for us is secure. His love depends on His faithfulness, not ours. His love never fails. His love is guaranteed by His perfection, not our performance.

When you feel unlovable, remember God’s unchanging, unfailing, unstoppable love for you. When you feel overwhelmed by your sin, remember that Christ overcame sin and gave you new life. When you feel like your faith isn’t enough, remember that God loved you even before you believed.

No matter what you face this week, God loved you first, and He will love you forever.

Jesus Christ is your Righteous Advocate {No Matter What Monday}

December 11, 2017 by Marissa Leave a Comment

In an episode from the first season of The West Wing, White House Deputy Communications Director Sam Seaborn is on his way out of the office for a weekend away when he runs back to his desk to answer one last phone call. It’s an old high school acquaintance, now a defense attorney, calling to plead the case of a federal death row inmate seeking a stay of execution.

The defense attorney needs someone with the ear of the President, so he calls Sam. The condemned man doesn’t just need an advocate, he needs an advocate with power and influence to present persuasive arguments to the one man who can grant a reprieve.

We need an advocate, too. We are condemned by our sin, and the punishment we deserve is death (Romans 6:23). But the Lamb of God who was the redeeming sacrifice for us and reconciled us to God is now seated at the right hand of the Father. What is He doing as He sits there? He’s advocating for us.

“My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” (1 John 2:1)

Jesus has the evidence needed for our forgiveness. John describes our advocate as “Jesus Christ the righteous.” Jesus is not only our redeeming sacrifice, He covers us with His righteousness. He advocates for us to the Father based on the perfect life He lived for us, not any good that we have done.

Jesus has the ear of the Father. Romans 8:34 tells us that Jesus Christ is at the right hand of the Father, interceding for us. The Father has given the Son the exalted place at His right hand, and we benefit from it. We have a Savior who has the ear of the Creator and Judge, saying, “She’s mine. She’s covered.”

Because of our righteous advocate, “when we enter into the presence of God, we go not to hear his justice prosecute us but to hear his love plead for us” (William Barclay, The Letter to the Hebrews, p. 19).

No matter what you face this week, Jesus Christ is your Righteous Advocate.

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