"even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ [by grace you have been saved],    Ephesians 2:5

This verse reminds me of the story of Charles Wesley. As he was climbing the many stairs to leave his "note on the door"of the church.  The Holy Spirit, whispered in his ear,"by grace you are saved" over and over again. This began the protest, or as we call it now, the protestant wing of the church of Jesus Christ.

No one knew that this is what the bible said, because people didn't have their own bibles, and the church of the day said, you must earn your salvation. Our natural selves tells us this too. It makes sense to our way of thinking, but this is not what Christ died for. 

He knew we needed a new and living way, so with his own blood he died in our place. He also rose from the dead, so that we could rise too. "For if we have been united in the likeness of his death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of his resurrection." Romans 6:5 NKJV Our lives now, are not what they will be when we are raised both body and soul.

The Apostle Paul said, "If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied." 1 Corinthians 15:19 NIV.

It is because God is eternal, and has greater things for us than we can never imagine that we have hope. I don't mean that we are selfish, not at all, but we are heaven bound!

Beyond this war ravaged, hurting, tragic world is an existence that  will delight, soothe, and meet us in every way.  Not to mention that we will be with the lover of our souls! No more sickness, death, or hurting. No comparisons or back biting, no more he said, she said fights. Can you tell I live with teens?

As if this wasn't enough, our wonderful Lord did all of this before we were thought of, because he knew we would need him more than anything else in this world. He prepared a way!  If you are not feeling loved by now, I don't know what to do. Remember the old saying, "If God had a wallet, your picture would be in it? He carries a photo Album with him just to show you off! Feeling loved yet?