Things I am learning...

This is the verse that struck me today out of Romans:

"No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man's praise is not from men, but from God."
- Romans 2:29 -

The pieces of this that strike me the most are the following:

1. We are followers of Christ based on the circumcision of our HEARTS, not by the law. Yes, we are to be obedient to Jesus and follow what He says but the beauty of our relationship with Him comes with a huge dose of GRACE. We are incapable of following the law perfectly on our own. We NEED Him and He honors a submitted and surrendered heart.

2. Our praise comes from God. His praise and whispers to us should be what define us and what govern our thoughts towards ourselves. We can't let what other people and the world says about us to define how we feel about ourselves. Jesus LOVES us so we should love us. He made us.

In the book that I am reading right now - "The Furious Longing of God" by Brennan Manning, he encourages readers to take time everyday to stand with open hands lifted toward the sky and pray "Abba, I belong to You". That's it...it's that simple. It may seem silly or make me uncomfortable but I know the power that that tiny prayer could have over me.

I love Jesus. It is an adventure knowing Him and following Him. I'm more willing than ever to take that adventure on.