God's free sticker!

When we were young, did we have a sticker chart at school or home to celebrate doing tasks? We were so incentivised to do tasks to achieve the stickers. That's fine when we're young, but when it seeps into our attitude towards God as adults, something is wrong. When we believe that our Christian walk is one of requirements, our life can feel like a performance. When we feel we have to do well at tasks to be loved by God, we can become spiritually sick. We lose sight of Jesus and his grace.

Jesus shows us a more freeing, loving relationship, based on his relationship with his Father. 'I have loved you, just as my Father has loved me' (John 15:9 CEV). In this verse, we see how secure he is in his Father's love. He's not trying to earn for favour, he's living from favour. And when we know that God loves us, we won't feel we have to work to earn his favour. Instead, we can say, 'Because you love me, God, I'm free.' Free from trying to make him happy by what we do.

Ephesians 2:20 NKJV says we are, 'created in Christ Jesus for good works'. These 'good works' are not to earn stickers. They're the freely given acts of people secure in the love and favour of a generous God.



So what now? Get a sticker and award it to yourself as a free gift. Let it remind you of God's freely given, unearned, love for you.





— SCRIPTURE —

'I have loved you, just as my Father has loved me.' John 15:9 CEV
— SOULFOOD —

Matt 5:6, Ps 63:1-5, Rom 3:21-23