You Can’t Drive Away Something That Thrives Within You

”If Abraham, by what he did for God, got God to approve him, he could certainly have taken credit for it. But the story we’re given is a God-story, not an Abraham-story. What we read in Scripture is, “Abraham entered into what God was doing for him, and that was the turning point. He trusted God to set him right instead of trying to be right on his own.” – Romans 4:2-3 MSG

God promised Abraham that he would someday make a way for mankind to be put right with God. So often we try to “make things right” with God by recounting every sin, recalling every debt, convinced that somehow our sin separates us from a Loving God who has put His Spirit inside of us.

But how can you drive a wedge of separation between you and something that thrives within you?

Because God’s Spirit is inside of us, we’re closer to him than anything else in this world. God is close within you. I think of my mom when I read this. We’re so close we always say,  “they never cut the umbilical cord between us”. Can an expecting mother separate herself from the unborn baby? No–they’re welded together by flesh and blood. In the same way, Christ’s flesh was broken and His blood was spilled so that His Spirit could take up residence IN US. There’s nothing you can do to make Him come closer to you (so, trying to be perfect so He will love you more and bless you is pointless), and there’s nothing that will drive Him away (like anything terrible that you did in the past, are doing wrong presently or will mess up in the future).

He lives within you. He’s always there for you. (Like my mom…) He’s not going to ever leave you to fend for yourself. (Like my mom again, huh…) He’s ready to help you when you find yourself in trouble. (Ok, that’s enough with the mom-comparisons… I think you get the idea.) He’s right there to lead you the way you’re supposed to go. That’s how He gives you peace. He’s got your back like a momma bear.