Blessed Assurance or Insurance

Blessed Assurance – I take that blessed assurance and at times behave as if it is blessed insurance.  I believe I am saved…meaning that I will spend eternity with God and not be apart from God.

This began in front of the altar at First Baptist Church, during a youth group ‘lock-in’, when I should have been downstairs with everyone else but wandered alone until I found myself on my knees in the sanctuary.  I am assured of my having a place in God’s presence.  Not because I kneeled at the altar, but only because of Jesus.  I believe Him.  I am loved by Him so much so that He knew what I would do and He chose to take my place before God.  And like the spoiled child that I am – I hide behind that curtain of blood as if it is my security blanket – my insurance coverage for my sinful nature.

I sit here now on this cold January day, in this state of melancholy.  I am empty of desire, empty of passion, empty of determination – no grit, no excitement, no anger, no care one way or the other.  Yet I relish that eternal hope and peace that is secured deep within.  And as I explore my mind and heart, allowing the Holy Spirit to guide me, then once again I will find my soul moved to move.

 

The words written above came from my personal devotional after meditating on James, chapter 1.  This entry was journaled several weeks after Steve’s death.  My prayer is that others going through a cycle of depression, whether a result of a life event or a chronic malady, will reach out to the Scriptures and be assured that hope does exist for each of us:
John 5:24  (HCSB) “I assure you: Anyone who hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life.”

Whether or not you believe in Him, He believes in you:
John 20:31 (HCSB) But these are written so that you may believe Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and by believing you may have life in His name.

And if you do believe, understand that testing matures our souls before Him:
1 Peter 1:6-9 (HCSB) You rejoice in this, though now for a short time you have had to struggle in various trials so that the genuineness of your faith-more valuable than gold, which perishes though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. You love Him, though you have not seen Him. And though not seeing Him now, you believe in Him and rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy, because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

During those moments of deep despair, when all we can express are tears: 
Romans 8:16 (HCSB) The Spirit Himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children

No one is immune to periods of melancholy, and no one is immune from the hope of our Lord.

 

Click to read James, Chapter 1 in my favorite translation, the Holman Christian Standard Bible.  I enjoy reading in different translations ( KJV, ESV, NLT, TLV, HCSB) and encourage you to also as it can clarify, define, and de-mystify what is read.