Verse of the Week and Personal Application

Ephesians 1:6
...To the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

Rejection is a painful thing,
but no one knows rejection like Jesus my King.
A crown of thorns, ridicule, scorn.
For me, for me He endured...

Have you ever felt the sting of rejection? I have. As a matter of fact I am pretty familiar with it now and in the past, and I don't think it plans on going anywhere. Well, one thing that did not change when I became a Christian was being experiencing rejection. It is even more painful when it comes from those you love, whether it is intentional or a simple act of thoughtlessness, it hurts the same. Being falsly accused, picked last for the team lied about made fun of? I had hoped grade school was the end of such torture, but I am beginning to think that that was more of a training ground! Alright, I know this is sounding bad, but there are some of us, and I may be talking to you, that have just experienced rejectiona s what feels to be way of life. That has been me, and I know many others have experienced the same and I am sure profoundly worse. I think of those innocent kids I used to work with that had been experienced to horrors I am not even comfortable repeating. What about he face of the homeless man I saw yesterday disfigured and scared so badly by goodness knows what, that the poor man hardly looked human? So the question is then, how do we deal with being rejected? Usually in our own strength we can muster up the beasts of anger, bitterness, plans of revenge, the silent churning of hatred toward others, even self defamation which expresses itself in an ugly miriad of ways. Hmmmmm, some how these don't really sound appealing! Well, frankly those feelings still come up when the sting of rejecton rears it's ugly head in my life, but I found if I'm faithful to run to Jesus with the issue, He will not let me be so burdened by the slavery inflicted by those prevoiusly mentioned beasts.

I could never bear such a burden on my own. Praise God I do not have to. When I am called unkind names, I can remember how they spit in Jesus' face. When left out and picked last, I can remember, He came to His own, but His own rejected Him. Loneliness? Emptiness? He hung upon the cross a disgrace in there eyes, in a moment He was even separated from God Himself. Know one knows like Jesus. Hated, lied about, beaten, and finally murdered. Know one knows like Jesus. "King Of The Jews" was the mocking title over his cross, as they placed a crown of thorns upon His head and gambled away His robes. No one knows like Him. Stripped of His power, willingly He gave Himself for those who were hurling insults at Him, beating Him. He came to bring peace to the sinner, to be a peace offering between them and God. As these very sinners nailed Him to the cross, He shouted "God Forgive Them", they don't understand what they are doing!
Don't be surprised if they hate you, he warned us. However, do not repay evil for evil, but pray for your enemies and do good to them. Because when you're kind to the cruel you're offering them the gift of God's love, which hs brought many to repentance. Only by God's power in us can we ever do such a thing. Thank you Jesus and help me remember all you have done for me. Allow me to rise above what others think and say about me and draw from the comfort of knowing I am accepted in you, by your grace. Let me forgive those who have hurt me the way you forgave me. I was once your enemy too. I was hostile to you, but you forgave me and received me. Let me judge others by the mercy and grace you have shown me. Grace is you're blessing upon those who don't deserve it. And mercy being the punishment you don't give when it is deserved. We do not deserve your forgiveness and pardon, but it is a gift you give freely. We deserve punishment for our wickedness, but you took that punishment, and instead offer us salvation as we put our faith in you. As we belive you have risen from the dead, and confess with our words and lives that you are Lord. Thank you Jesus. May I love and forgive as you have forgiven me. In your name I pray-Amen.