Lately, I’ve been romanced by God. I am reading through Isaiah, and it has been hard to miss God’s pursuit of his people. In love he goes after a wicked and rebellious people. Often I miss his love. I think that the Gospel is simply: I am sinful. Jesus died so that I can go to heaven.

Wrong.

Yes, I am sinful. Yes, Jesus lived a flawless life and suffered. He then took up his cross and died so that I can live eternally in heaven. Usually I think that he saved me so that I don’t have to go to hell…and this is mostly true.

But as I was reading through Isaiah, I was captivated by these verses: 

But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you;  I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;  and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior… Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life.  Isaiah 43:1-4

 I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins. Isaiah 43:24-25

It is for God’s sake that he took my sin away. He is so excited to be in a relationship with us that he was willing to endure not only the horrific pain of a cross, but also the immeasurable pain of taking on the sin of the world.

Understanding this truth changes everything about my life. If Jesus died for me because I am sinful, I will live my life working and striving to rid myself of sin. If I embrace God’s love and his desire to be in relationship with me, I will know his love and his grace. I will attack sin in my life because I realize that it destroys my relationship with God. I will simply respond to his love by loving him in return.