Being transformed by trust...

Being transformed by trust...

By Pastor Bobby Schuller

"For in Him we live and move and have our being. As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'"

-Acts 17:28

When the Apostle Paul traveled throughout Athens preaching the message of the love of God, he would say, "For in Him we live and move and have our being." Paul would say to them, "I worship a God who is not any of these things: He can't be found in marble. He can't be found in gold and He can't be found in vain philosophy. But He stands here right now and He calls us His offspring." In Acts 17, he says, "My friends, you've made this way too complicated. You're God's kids. He's alive. He wants you. He loves you and he calls you to serve him."

If you read enough of Paul and the words of Jesus, you get the idea that almost all of our problems in this world come from one problem: We just do not know how to receive the love and grace of God. Paul seems to hit on this theme repeatedly in all of his letters - that all of the sin, mistakes, problems, hurt, and evil in the world comes back to this one problem: People do not know - in our heads, hearts, and bones - the truth and the depth of the love of God.

I see this image of Paul anguishing in the knowledge of what could be if people could just trust in Christ. Today, we, too, may trust in the cross of Christ, in the resurrection, in a God who loves us, who believes in us, who wants to lift us up, transform us, and carry us into his kingdom of faith, hope, and love.

Prayer: Dear Lord, your kingdom is where I want to live. Love me, lift me up, and transform me into the person you want me to be today. Amen.