Sermon Response: Do you believe what God says about you?
By Tara Madrigal Who will you believe? Do you believe what God says about you? Or will you believe the lies of the Enemy? It starts as a passing thought: “If God was really good, if He really loved you the way He says He does, then…”The part that comes after “then” could be any number of things that change depending on the day: He would take care of you financially; He would provide you with a husband who loves Jesus; He would make your life a lot easier than it is right now; you would no longer struggle with a particular issue. The list goes on and on.At first the lies seem easy to ignore. I can go about my day without giving them much thought or concern. Life as I know it continues along with little change. Or so I think. But I am noticing things are slightly different. Today seems just a little more difficult to get through than yesterday. Something happens to my car on my way to work and my first thought is “If I were married, my husband could come and take care of this for me.” Or my coworkers are a little more demanding than normal and I think: “If I had any of those other jobs I’ve applied for I wouldn’t be dealing with her attitude today.”Next thing I know, everything is like a spotlight shining down on that one thing I am being denied. Then my thoughts sound more like this: “Why doesn’t God give me a husband? I mean desiring marriage is a good thing, and this whole singleness thing isn’t really working out for me very well right now. Why is God holding out on me?”And there it is. The lie has taken root and the idol has formed. The idolization of that one thing that I think would cause all my problems to cease; all my troubles and worries and loneliness would be nonexistent. Or so I believe. In that moment, I made a choice. The kingdoms are warring for my heart and I handed mine to the Enemy.All too often I forget. I forget that I am only, primarily, ultimately defined by what God says about me. In that moment, however, I choose the lies that tell me I am only, primarily and ultimately defined as single, unlovable, lonely and not worth pursuing.Imagine if Jesus had the same response when he was tempted by the lies of the accuser. I need a savior who never once questioned who God is and what God says. I need a redeemer who, without doubt or hesitation, knew He is only, primarily, and ultimately defined by who God says he is. In the moments when I falter, in the moments when I forget, in the moments I hand my heart over to the kingdom of self, I need to know that my failures have been covered by the One who believed so strongly in the Father that He willingly died in my place. The One who reminds me, with a still small voice, that I am loved, that I am accepted, that I am pursued more ferociously than I could ever imagine by the God of the universe.Tara Madrigal wrote this in response to the second sermon in the on-going The Good King sermon series which you can listen to here.