Peacmaking Women Ch. 1

The first chapter of this book is an introduction to theology. “Introduction to theology,” I thought, why in the world do I need to read this. Over the years of knowing Jacob I have learned “everything” I ever wanted to know about theology, but I read the chapter anyways. Thankfully this chapter wasn’t like the other theology books that I have read. It didn’t focus on major theological terms ie. justification and sanctification, although they were mentioned.

Nothing we can do will make God love us more. Something I do everyday when Jacob gets home is tell him how my day went. Now this might seem normal, but “my day” usually consists of my listing off the things I got done around the house and explaining why I didn’t get certain things done. I am continually trying to justify the work I do and do not do around the house to my husband. I want him to be proud of me and see a benefit of me staying home, so I feel like I must convince him that I am working while at home. Now I can’t speak for everyone, but I would assume that somewhere inside all of us is that need/want to be accepted and praised for our work as well as the thought “if only I do ____ he will love me more.” Something along those lines is the underlying reason I feel the need to qualify what I have done. Although not obvious at first to me, after much digging I realized that I tell Jacob everything I did that day and why I didn’t do certain things because I think he will love me more when I DO chores. 

Many people live and believe this is how God's love works. We think that if we could just do enough _____ then God will love us more and we will be accepted in His eyes. What we forget is that this is not how God's love works. He sent his son, Jesus to save us from our sins to save us from having to DO everything right to gain God's love and acceptance. We are loved by God  NO MATTER what we do or don't do. God does not require us to have a spotless house, clean laundry, perfect hair and body, or well behaved kids all the time. He knows we are sinners and that we are NOT perfect. He knows that we will fail and can not live up to his expectations, and that is why He sent his Son to die for us and save us. Through Christ's death and resurrection we are becoming saints everyday while still being sinners. God sees us through Christ and loves us NO MATTER what we do. 

One of the lines in this chapter that really stuck out to me was "God loves me because I'm His". Jacob loves me because I am his. I love my daughter because she is mine. There is no other reason that I love this baby growing inside me other than the fact that she is our daughter. She belongs to me, just like I belong to Christ.  I belong to Christ and that's why I am loved. Hearing that God loves me just because I'm His is so reassuring. I have always known that I am loved because I believe in Christ and am God's daughter but its nice to hear it every once and a while.

Jacob and I have been going through some difficulties with this pregnancy lately and this is something I really needed to hear. Although I trust God and know this is all in His plan, it is hard to let go of control and not think that maybe if i do _____ then God will make this better. Maybe God will change the circumstances that we are in right now, but he won't do it because of something I do. He will do it because it is in His plan. No matter what happens I need to trust God and remember that I am HIS daughter and there is nothing I can do to loose His love.