Seeing Yourself Through God's Eyes: I am accepted by God. (Daily Devotional)

Day 5

"He hath made us accepted in the beloved [Jesus]." (Ephesians 1:6, KJV)

Many people have a recording in their minds that plays the same song over and over again. The title? "If Only." The air play? Top 10! Not just for weeks, but for years. The most distinguishing feature of this song is its brevity--only one line long. "If only______(you fill in the blank), then I might have pleased my dad." "If only I had been smarter in school...been better in sports...been my brother...been born first...not been born at all!"

     We don't understand why this one line song continues to play after the passing of time. Yet if we were to listen to recordings of some of our earliest childhood experiences, we could see why we are emotionally stuck.

     The child who hears, "You'll never amount to anything," won't feel worth much. The child who hears, "I wish you had never been born," becomes performance based throughout life, trying to prove his importance to everyone in order to gain acceptance. Perhaps the perceived "If it weren't for you, I'd be happy" theme is the most melancholy melody of all. It damages a child of any age.

     Dr. Charles Stanley says that most of us value the acceptance of our parents more than the acceptance of any other individual. He cites businessmen in their 40s, 50s and even 60s who are still seeking their father's acceptance and approval even though their fathers are dead. The little boy inside still cries out, I've got to get my dad to accept me.

     While we all make mistakes, in God's eyes you are no mistake. As a child of God, you are never unacceptable to Him. He says, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you" (Hebrew 13:5)

     Jesus understands your innermost feelings when you've been rejected He personally experienced that same kind of rejection from His family. "He came to his own, and his own received him not" (John 1:11, KJV) Therefore, who can better empathize with your need for acceptance than your Lord!

     His love and acceptance is not, "Because..." He loves and accepts you, period! When you know you are totally accepted in the beloved and see yourself through God's eyes, you step to a new song of joy and acceptance as you recall this simple but classic materpiece:

Jesus loves me! This I know, for the Bible tells me so.
Jesus love me! He will stay close beside me all the way.

                                 ______________My Position in Christ_______________

Personalize these verses in your own words:

Psalms 27:10  _________________________________________________________
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Jeremiah 31:3 _________________________________________________________
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Father, through Your eyes I can see that I... __________________________________
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I am secure because...I am accepted in the beloved.