An Unearned Gift

One question: Do I strive for obedience for God because I want to be with God, or because I am afraid of not being with him? I believe there is a difference in that. I often desire the things of God because I don't want to be wrong. We are called to have reverent obedience to God. It's hard to put what I am thinking in my head on paper, but what I am trying to say is my fear of not really being chosen by God often inhibits my actual pursuit of Christ. This is not how I want to follow Christ, I don't want to follow Christ because I am scared of what my happen after this race is finished. I want to follow Christ for the now. I want to follow after Christ because each day when I wake up I want to be a different person, a person that is more dead to what I once was and more alive to what I am becoming. I need to constantly be reminded that I am chosen by God to do what he wants me to do now. I have too much life left to worry about what is going to happen after. My destination is set, who I will be with the rest of eternity is set, so I need to realize that I WANT to follow the Lord now.

What does obedience out of fear lead to? First off I am not following a cruel leader that demands only results. If Christ judged me today for how I will be when this race is done, I will fail. I'm not who I am going to be right now. Thankfully, Jesus does not expect that. Sanctification is a process. I honestly don't think I want to wake up tomorrow and be done with the sanctification process, allow me to continue to experience grace. That is why I follow, that is why I hope to have reverent obedience, because I want to experience grace and the gospel of Jesus Christ that was revealed to me, and which I am called to continually preach. Not fear. Submission out of fear leads to revolt, submission out of love leads to continual love. When I am standing in front of God, I don't want to say that I lived my life in fear of him saying," I don't know you." I want to live my life say to the Lord,"God, I was able to tell people that they are loved by you more than they will ever know."

"But we ought to always thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be save through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in truth. He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed in word." 2 Thess 2:13-17