Received

Receive one another, then, just as Christ also received you, to God’s glory.  -Romans 15:7

I turned 30 in January, and if there is anything in my early years on earth that I have been petrified about, it is being rejected by people. Growing up, I always felt out of place – too much for some groups and not enough for others. I was always bigger than my peers, so they rarely accepted me, and neither did the older children. One day, God opened my eyes to see myself as He saw me. Before the foundations of the earth, God chose me. Before I was even born, Christ went to the cross, and His death and resurrection ensured that I was wholly and completely received by God, flaws and all. 

When we come to God in sincerity and surrender, giving our lives over to Him, He receives us and we are His own. Scripture says there is rejoicing in heaven over one sinner that repents. 

No matter what flaws you have, no matter your inadequacies, no matter the color of your skin, your intellect, or educational background, short or tall, poor or rich, if you have placed your faith in Christ, you are God’s daughter. As a daughter of God you have been received by Him and He sees you and treats you as His own. 

Now, since God has received us, what should our response be? 

First, thanksgiving for this gracious gift of acceptance by the King of the universe. It is an honor we can never repay. Thank You, Jesus! 

Secondly, we should receive others in all honesty and love, with the same grace that we have received. To receive someone means to accept them into our homes as well as our hearts, sharing meals and activities. Jesus is our perfect example of how to receive others no matter who they are. Scripture says to love your neighbor as yourself. Christ wasn’t prejudiced against anyone, so you and I shouldn’t be, either. We were all sinners, isolated from God, but Christ brought us back to Him. We should seek to be full of grace and receive others in love.

When we receive one another as God has received us, we give Him glory. I want to always give God glory, and this is one way I can do that. 

The world is so diverse and I know it can be difficult to receive and accept everyone. The early church struggled to be unified between the Jews and the Gentiles. We are not alone in our fight for unity, and we must continue to honor and welcome all believers in Christ. We must go out of our way to avoid favoritism by spending time greeting those you normally don’t talk to, minimizing differences, and seeking common ground for fellowship. In this way you are accepting others as Christ has accepted you, and God is given glory. 

Dear Father, thank You for receiving me as Your own. It is a privilege I do not deserve, that I can never repay, but I am grateful. I want my life to always give You glory, so today and always help me to accept and receive people into my home and heart, relating to them in love and with grace. In Jesus’ name, amen.