March 19

YOU ARE ACCEPTED

God has made us accepted in the Beloved. Ephesians 1:6

Many of us base our self-esteem on what other people think, so we work hard at being accepted. We buy things, we wear things, we join things - all for just to be accepted by our friends, family, co­workers and peers. But our verse today says God has already accepted us in Jesus Christ. Does God say you have to earn the acceptance? That you could ever deserve it? No. The Bible just says God has accepted you not because of you but because of His Son.

If you're a believer, God has accepted you as His child because of what Christ did for you on Calvary. He loves you unconditionally and accepts you for who you are. Some of us grew up with guardians who are impossible to please. They are perfectionists. No matter how much you tried, you couldn't get their approval. If you got B's, they wanted A's. If you got A's, they wanted A+'s. No matter what you did it was never, ever good enough. Even today you're still trying to earn their love and approval.

But there are two things you must know:

1. In all likelihood, you're never going to get that approval or acceptance. Not because of who you are but because of who they are.

2. You don't need their approval because you are acceptable to God. You don't need their approval to be happy.

What a relief it is to know that you only need the love and approval of one person, and you already have it: God says you are accepted!

Prayer: Bind and cast out the spirit of inferiority complex, and declare with confidence that you are accepted and loved by God in Christ.

Scriptural Reading: Ephesians 1:1-14