Not Rejected but Accepted in the Beloved - The Crosswalk Devotional - August 6

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Not Rejected but Accepted in the Beloved
By: Emily Rose Massey

Bible Reading:
“…just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.” (Ephesians 1:4-6, NKJV)

“It happened again!” The tears began to flow as the familiar feeling of rejection overcame me in an instant. 

There was another mom’s hangout over the weekend that I wasn’t invited to. When I saw the group photo on Instagram, I was cut to the heart. I felt so left out and ignored. I sat in my bedroom and wept. It was clear to me that this emotional reaction was more than not being invited. We moved our family to a brand-new state five years ago, where we didn’t know a soul, and although I am so incredibly grateful for the community I have found, I have still struggled to find my place in relationships with women. I’m often left asking the questions, “What’s wrong with me? Am I not outgoing enough? Am I not approachable? Are people intimidated by me? Do they see my confidence as arrogance?” 

I confided in a dear friend and sister in Christ (who was also not invited to the gathering), and she encouraged me with the simple yet very important truth that even though I may feel the sting of rejection in this instance, God Almighty has embraced me as His daughter. I am accepted in the Beloved. 

The Apostle Paul begins His letter to the Ephesians in chapter 1 with the same encouragement:

“…just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:4-6, NKJV).

Intersecting Faith & Life:

What wonderful news! In Christ, you are made righteous before God and are accepted into His beloved family. He has chosen you to be His daughter! The cross is a symbol of God’s great love for you; it has brought those who were far off near to Him. Jesus died and paid the price for our sin so that we would forever experience a relationship with our Heavenly Father. Without a relationship with Jesus, you’re a sinner in God’s holy eyes, but embracing Jesus ushers in the greatest relationship you will ever know from now on into eternity. He wants to walk with you; He wants to sanctify you and make you holy. He won’t reject you and will stick close forever and always. 

Jesus will always be there for you, even when everyone else fails you. Because people will fail us. People will reject us and disappoint us. Even our Christian brothers and sisters, this of which I struggle with understanding the most. Do you struggle with the pain of rejection? Do you often feel misunderstood by others? You must remember that although you may feel lonely, you are never truly alone. Jesus understands your pain, beloved daughter of the King.

When we face rejection from others, we must remember that Jesus understands more than anyone what rejection feels like, as He is very familiar with it Himself. Many people rejected Jesus (and continue to do so) while He was here on earth, even one of His very own disciples (Judas), who rejected Him and betrayed Him. And just a couple of hours later, another one of His closest disciples (Peter) rejected knowing Him. Three times, to be exact. Aren’t you so thankful for Jesus’ forgiveness when we turn our backs on Him! He gives us so many opportunities to repent and make things right in our relationship with Him! His mercies towards us are new every single morning… oh, what love! The Lord understands our pain over rejection, and His arms are open wide; let us be quick to draw near to Him. Lo, He is always with you… even to the end of the age! Oh, what a friend we have in Jesus!

Further Reading:
Romans 8:14-17
Galatians 4:4-5
1 John 3:1-2

Join the conversation! Share how today’s devotional encouraged or challenged you in your walk with Christ.

Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/Rawpixel 

Emily Massey began writing short stories and poetry as a little girl, entered the blogging world in her early 20s, and published her first book in 2015. She enjoys being a homeschooling momma of four boys, while still being able to pursue her passion as a writer. Believing she has been forgiven much, she loves much, and desires to point others to Christ and His redemptive and transforming power, especially by sharing truth found in God’s written word. If you would like to connect with Emily, you can visit www.emilyrosemassey.com.

Check out fantastic resources on Faith, Family, and Fun at Crosswalk.com! 

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