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“When we submit our lives to Christ, we come under the umbrella of God’s blessing.”

A thought by Mark Batterson from his book, Double Blessing (p. 23). The Crown Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

This is a part of the if and then to be under the umbrella of God's blessing.

Mark says, “Our covering is Christ crucified, a covering that was foreshadowed as far back as the Garden of Eden. After Adam and Eve ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, God covered their nakedness with clothing made from animal skins. That first sacrifice foreshadowed the final sacrifice on Calvary’s cross.

“The covering of Christ is prefaced by the Passover as well. On the night that God delivered Israel out of Egypt, He instructed them to smear their doorframes with the blood of the Passover lamb. (Exodus 12:7) The blood of the lamb provided a protective covering. Jesus is our Passover Lamb, and it’s His blood that breaks the power of canceled sin.”

He goes on, “If you cheat on your taxes, for example, you are stepping out from under the umbrella of God’s blessing. The same is true if you cheat on your spouse. Does God forgive those offenses? If we repent, of course, He does! But I cannot promise that the IRS or your spouse will.

“It’s important, at this juncture, to make a distinction between penalty and consequence. When you confess your sin, that sin is forgiven and forgotten. The penalty for sin was paid in full two thousand years ago, but you still have to live with the consequences of your actions.”

He then says, “When we disobey God, we put ourselves in a precarious position. Again, that isn’t a threat. And of this I’m sure: God doesn’t want fear to dictate our decisions. Perfect love casts out all fear, so we can face the future with holy confidence! That said, you cannot break the law of sowing and reaping any more than you can break the law of gravity. No one can. The law of sowing and reaping will make you or break you, and the pivot point on that seesaw is obedience! Simply put, obedience is the first habit of highly blessed people.”

And we want to face our future with holy confidence, don’t we? 

Yes, yes!
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