Between sweeping my kitchen floor and the soapsuds in the sink, I was listening to the CD voices echo the words of hymns I love so much.  One in particular caused my spirit to soar as the chorus was repeated: “How marvelous!  How wonderful!  And my song shall ever be: How marvelous!  How wonderful!  Is my Savior’s love for me.”  The lyrics of the verses ponder the expression of that love: “I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus, the Nazarene, and wonder how He could love me, a sinner, condemned, unclean.  For me, it was in the garden He prayed, ‘Not My will, but Thine.’  He had no tears for His own griefs, but sweat drops of blood for mine.  He took my sins and my sorrows, He made them His very own; He bore the burden to Calvary, and suffered and died alone.  When with the ransomed in glory His face I at last shall see, t’will be my joy through the ages to sing of His love for me.”

What love!  What amazing, incredible, awesome love!  Undeserved, and yet freely given at an incalculable cost.  The result of opening my heart to this gift that exceeds the worth of any earthly gift?  “I am an eternally loved and forgiven child of God.”  There is no other truth that will give freedom to the human spirit as this one will.  If you have given your sins to God, and have received in exchange the gift of righteousness purchased by His Son, then you too can know with absolute certainty, “I am an eternally loved and forgiven child of God.”

You were created to be an expression of God Himself to others who hunger for the peace of forgiveness and the security of love.  Not an easy task – but wholly possible as you count on the One who has loved and forgiven you.  Saturate your heart with the truth of the words, “I am an eternally loved and forgiven child of God,” and let them set you free to be all God has created you to be.

– Bev