{"id":1821,"date":"2018-06-08T17:21:21","date_gmt":"2018-06-08T22:21:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/belovedlove.org\/reflections\/?p=1821"},"modified":"2019-05-17T14:32:10","modified_gmt":"2019-05-17T19:32:10","slug":"gods-grace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/belovedlove.org\/reflections\/2018\/06\/08\/gods-grace\/","title":{"rendered":"The Beginning of All Things, by Lydia Floren"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Purple<\/a>The Beginning of All Things<\/h1>\n

by Lydia Floren<\/p>\n

This is an excerpt from the book I am writing about learning to live a God-guided life:<\/b><\/p>\n

There once was a man and a woman who dwelled together in indescribable bliss. They lived in nature, surrounded by beauty \u2013 fresh smells, clear water, crisp fruit. They enjoyed each other’s company, plus the free and easy relationship with the One who had formed each of them, and had brought them to the paradise where they lived. They were healthy and happy – you might even say joyous – \u00a0enjoying life to the fullest.<\/i><\/p>\n

The Maker had given them one warning, one simple rule in this haven of life\/joy:\u00a0 <\/span>Don’t touch the fruit that grows on one tree, the one called the \u201cKnowledge of Good and Evil.\u201d\u00a0 <\/span>This fruit is not good to eat.<\/i><\/p>\n

That is all.<\/i><\/p>\n

But the man and woman were curious, and surrendered to the Temptation to be like God, on equal footing with the Creator. They wanted to know for themselves, to decide for themselves what was good, and what was not. So, they disregarded God\u2019s one rule, and ate.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Immediately, they were changed.\u00a0 <\/span>They looked at things differently. They could see all kinds of potential good and evil, but had trouble deciding which was which. They decided that their nakedness wasn’t good and covered themselves. For the first time they felt shame. They decided they had done something wrong. And so, they decided to avoid God.<\/i><\/p>\n

God cried.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

And then did what He had to do. With great sorrow, He gave them the result of their choice:\u00a0 <\/span>life outside of the garden.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

God’s Grace<\/a><\/h2>\n

And then, all alone, God made a plan for the future, so that someday, this relationship would be restored to the way it used to be.\u00a0 <\/span>It was a costly plan – a life for all lives, a choice for all choices. He would send His son to live in the world, and pay the price for their choice, and all the choices that followed.<\/i><\/p>\n

The man and the woman settled outside of the garden. They had children and grandchildren. And they passed their skewed sense of truth, of right and wrong, down through their lineage. Over the centuries, they drifted away from the life-giving connections with their Maker, until he was just a distant memory, and then an ancient tale – remembered by a few, believed by even fewer.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

But their Maker never stopped loving them and reaching out to them. Since these progeny had never known bliss, they had no idea what they were missing. There was a haunting emptiness that remained in all of these people, from generation to generation. An emptiness that \u2013 had they known it \u2013 could only be filled with God. \u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Yet somehow, in their minds, they had come to believe that God was their enemy.<\/i><\/p>\n

After many years, God\u2019s plan came to pass. He chose to visit their land – in the form of His son – to be one of them and guide them back to the ancient truth and ways. They thought they knew how to make things right, but they really didn’t. And so, He showed them that the only way to bridge the gap was to receive His gift of forgiveness and life, and choose to follow Him. And He demonstrated\u00a0 <\/span>through His words and actions what it looked like to live that way. Before He left, he gave them the ultimate gift \u2013 His life \u2013 to make this all possible.<\/i><\/p>\n

It seemed too good to be true. But it was true.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

God was not their enemy.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n

He was their Creator, their Loving Father – the only one who knew them completely and loved them unconditionally. And He did what it took so that He could welcome them back into the warmth and safety of relationship with Him. So that they could live the life they were created to live.<\/i><\/p>\n

Adam and Eve had a choice of whether to live their lives on their own, or to follow God\u2018s will.\u00a0 <\/span>They chose the former, and their choice had consequences. It led to the loss of their home, and the disruption of the easy loving relationship they had with their Father. Every one of Adam and Eve\u2019s descendants, including us, has suffered because of their choice.\u00a0 <\/span>Amazingly, because of God\u2019s love and grace, we still – again – have a choice: to live our lives on our own, or to invite God in and choose to follow Him.<\/b><\/p>\n

Inviting God In<\/b><\/h3>\n

Do you want to experience the joy of living the life you were created to live?\u00a0 <\/span>To have a true sense of identity and value, to know that you belong, and that you are safe – that your life will never end?\u00a0 <\/span>If so, then if you haven\u2019t done so, now is a great time to make the choice to invite God in to your life and follow Him.\u00a0 <\/span>You can do that by simply talking to Him – praying. Here is an example of such a prayer, based on the acronym GRACE<\/a> (G- Give thanks, R- Release, A-Accept, C- Continue,\u00a0 <\/span>E- Enjoy)<\/p>\n

G\u00a0 <\/span>Thank you, God for creating me and loving me enough to give your life so that I could be in relationship with you forever.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n

R \u00a0I choose to receive your forgiveness for ignoring you and going my own way, and \u00a0I Release all of my past and future into your hands.<\/i><\/h3>\n

A\u00a0 <\/span>I Accept\u00a0<\/span>your gift of hope and healing, and open the door of my heart to let you in. \u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n

C I look forward to Continuing to learn to live by your wisdom and direction,\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n

E\u00a0 <\/span>and to Enjoy the freedom and intimacy of your company every day. <\/i><\/h3>\n

Have you pray this prayer? Congratulations! You have begun the adventure of living a God-guided life.<\/p>\n

\""Live<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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