He's cheering for you!

Nov 28, 2009

This morning as I came into the kitchen I was greeted by 10 month old Kenzie Parker, sitting in her high chair and clapping for me! The spontaneous round of applause warmed my heart and made me remember the Gospel. God is a lot like Kenzie Parker. In a very real way He was applauding when you woke up. "I love you!" He says, "I'm so glad you are up and we get to spend another day together!" This is what theologians call 'common grace.' It is the rain that falls on the righteous and the unrighteous alike. Every one of us is God's unique creation made in his image and sustained by His sovereign power. The fact that we woke up tells us that God is applauding. For to be sure, if God did not want us here we would not have woken up. Today is an opportunity to hear His applause of you. He is clapping, not because of your good deeds or right beliefs but simply because He made you and in His grace loves you deeply. Jesus also talked about another type of applause from heaven in Luke 15 where he said, "there is more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous persons who do not need to repent." This is the rejoicing of the Father over the lost son who has returned. It is a conditional applause. Conditional upon our return to the Father. Our repentance. Recently I repented of prayerlessness. Heaven was applauding. What have you repented from lately? Heaven was applauding! The Father runs to us when we repent. He kisses our neck and rejoices over us. This is the applause of heaven we can hear today. It is a little louder than 'common grace' it is the applause of reconciliation, of forgiveness. There is another type of applause that is yet to come. The applause of the last day when we will stand before Judge Jesus and he will say to us "Well done good and faithful servant. You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness." (Matthew 25:23) This final applause is the loudest of all but it is nothing compared the the applause we will be giving to Jesus for saving us and receiving us into His kingdom. This is the true applause of heaven not towards us but towards Him, the creator and sustainer of all things. The one who loved us in our low estate. The one who died so that we might live. The one who claps when we wake up saying "I love you! I'm so glad you're up so we can spend another day together!" He's cheering for you! Now let's cheer for Him!! Today and forever. Pastor Rich

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