The Principal’s Office

Get in the word, let it sink deep root in your life. Then it will fill your life with thankfulness. More words from the conference this weekend. A conference I tried to get out of. I was tired, I was burn out, I wasn’t feeling it. I didn’t want to go. I was in a whiny spot, a whoa is me place, and wasn’t really wanting to move. Have you ever been there?

But a friend convinced me to go. Actually, I went out of guilt. However, on the five hour drive down to Branson alone I had a lot of time to think, to pray, to listen to praise music, to just ride quietly with God. And my prayer was let me hear what I need to hear this weekend, even if it’s not all warm and fuzzy. Even if it is a reprimand, let my heart be open.

A lot of it was what I needed to hear, and was reprimand. One of those things was get in the word. I had been doing a lot of Right Now Media time because I could do that on the treadmill in the morning. It just isn’t the same as sitting down and opening my bible.

Why are there times in my life when the bible becomes so real and words jump off the page, and other times it feels stale and becomes part of a check list? I am sure the condition of my heart and mind make the difference. But right now it’s alive and I am grateful.

Reading in Colossians this morning, and this verse came up 1:22, “He has reconciled you to himself through the blood and death of Jesus in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.”

What a picture, because Jesus died for my sins – I now stand in the presence of God. I stand before Him. That alone is enough, to be in his presence but, he goes even further, as I stand before him he sees me as holy and blameless. He doesn’t just see me that way, he says I am holy and blameless without one single fault.

I think of being called to the principal’s office or your boss’s office for something you know you did wrong. You open the door, and step inside waiting for the punishment to come. The person of authority never mentions or accuses. He talks for a few moments about casual things, and then tells of another student or fellow worker who confessed to the wrong that you had done.

Then you walk out, free of punishment, free of guilt. Think of the sigh of relieve as you close the door. The weight of guilt lifted from your shoulders. You want to go skipping down the hallway. You expect to face wrath yet you dance away free.

God says I am holy, blameless without a single fault. Does my life reflect that freedom? Let that soak in, deep in. God doesn’t just see you as holy, blameless and without fault – you are holy, blameless and without fault – ALL because of Jesus death and resurrection.

Close the door, and skip down the hallway full of gratitude.