I Would Rather be a Doorkeeper

For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing. (1 Thessalonians 5:9-11 NKJV)

We have been appointed for salvation. God's design, His desire, His intent for us is life. And what are we to do with these words? Comfort and edify. 

Ours is not a message of shame. Ours is not a message of "You bad, bad person."

Ours is a message of grace. The message we have been given is… "God's design for You is life. You are worthy to Him. So worthy that He gave his son Jesus. So worthy that even though You are guilty, You are not worthless. Your guilt doesn't change Your worth."

Wow. How humbling. How amazing. How gracious of our God. He does not hold our sin against us. The psalmist declared:

"If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared." (Psalms 130:3–4 NIV)

The reason we have comfort… the reason our message brings courage is because the Lord keeps no record of wrong… He hopes all things, believes all things, and bears all things for His children:

"Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53:4–5 NKJV)

In Christ we have been reconciled to the Father. Jesus is God's declaration of worth over our lives. He is the ONE and only. I love what I read in Alex Bryan's book The Green Cord Dream this morning: Primal Adventism - was about men and women who longed to be with Jesus!

Why do we long to be with Jesus… because he longed to be with us… in the midst of all our shame, and guilt, and sin… Jesus longed to be with us. For the sake of the joy that was set before Him, He endured the cross, despising its shame, and has taken His seat at the right hand of the Father until all of His enemies are made a footstool.

That is who I want to be… a footstool. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my Lord than dwell in the tents of wickedness. Just make me a stool Jesus. Let me hold the door for You. This is enough.