A moral person is not necessarily a transformed person. Jesus wants a relationship with us, not just token obedience.

1 My child, if you accept my words…

Jesus knows we have a moral problem. We like to please ourselves. We are ruled by our passions and how we feel at the moment. I just described a two-year-old! Maybe that’s how we need to see ourselves spiritually. And, just like our young children (including nieces, nephews, god-children, etc), we love them because they are ours. We expect immature behavior. We also look forward to the day when they are mature adults, but there’s a long journey in between. I just described our Christian life!

We can live morally, but we will always live in fear of failing (failing ourselves) or in fear of disappointing (failing God). These people are living life for God rather than with God. When we turn from darkness to His glorious light, this is what we hear Jesus say:

“Ask me and I will give you living water.” John 4:10

“Believe me and I will give you the bread of life.” John 6:35

“Come to me and I will make rivers of living water flow from within you.” John 7:37

“I don’t condemn you. Walk with me.” John 8:11

“Know me and know freedom from your fears.” John 8:32-36

“You know my voice, for I am your Shepherd.” John 10:14, 27

There are many more verses, but these few give us a good idea of what Jesus wants us to know. He wants us to trust Him rather than fear Him, to walk with Him rather than try to please Him on our own. He wants us to accept the fact that He loves us now, just as we are. Granted, He loves us too much to leave us as we are, but He will be the Guiding Light and the Transformer of our hearts and lives as we walk with Him.

Fear vs. Faith:
Fear in a set of rules; Faith in knowing a Person.
In fear we try to please; in faith, we are pleasing.

Let’s turn to Him right now and receive all that He has for us. He loves us!

Abba, I turn to You right now with open arms ready to receive Your love, peace and joy. I need Your filling so that I can hear You clearly, see You working around me, and walk in Your assurance that I am Yours and am already pleasing to You. It makes me want to be just like You and to spend every moment basking in Your presence! Amen.