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But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified

in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ 

and by the Spirit of our God.

~ 1 Cor. 6:11b

 

Good morning dear sister!

This verse has been running through my mind for the last couple days. I first heard it waaay back when I was at a Christian singles conference. I don’t remember the speaker’s name, but I can still clearly remember her voice as she taught us a melody to go with the words. (putting Scripture to music really does help you to remember it!)

As we repeated it time and time again (without musical accompaniment, mind you), at first I felt a little embarrassed. The awkwardness of the stranger belting out the words with her hands rising and falling with the melody; the fumbling attempts of an auditorium full of young people trying to follow her example was cringe-worthy to my 22 year old self. 

But then something changed! The words started to sink in, the rhythm began to gel and the Holy Spirit started to minister to us as we yielded to the power of God’s Word!

Do you remember when you acknowledged and repented of your sin before God, how He forgave you and you were pardoned? Your sins were washed away by the cleansing blood of Jesus! You were then sanctified; set apart and declared holy, consecrated to the Lord! You were justified, that is, declared righteous in the sight of God! Do you remember that euphoric feeling of freedom and cleansing you felt? The awestruck wonder that you are precious in the sight of the Everlasting God?

Sometimes I wonder as time goes on, if we become complacent, just coasting along our Christian path on auto-pilot, watching the scenery passing by. We get in our holy habits and religious routines and kind of forget what the Lord has rescued us from now that we’re living a lifestyle full of His blessings. I know I have been guilty of that. For many years, especially in the full blown chaos of raising 5 young men. I had my routine of prayer & Bible reading, but it was more of a habit than a thoughtful discipline. Praise God for His grace and faithful response to my meager attempts to spend time and thought with Him!

But even spending that little bit of time back then allowed the Holy Spirit to cause the seed of the Word to grow in me! Now, years down the road, the Lord is again reminding me that it is not my own efforts and works that have caused me to flourish in Him! It is He who washed me, He who sanctifies me and He who justifies me in the perfect, glorious and everlasting Name of Jesus and by the power of the Spirit of my God! How refreshing to my soul!

My sister, no matter where you think you are in your walk with God today, believe this for yourself! KNOW that it’s about you; in God’s eyes you are clean! Draw closer to God in the confidence of His cleansing, sanctification and justification! He wants to fellowship with you! He has so much to teach you and wonderful places He wants to take you! 

Keep loving Jesus and moving forward!

With love, your sister, Celeste