Our youngest grandson loves bath time! When he’s fussy, squirmy, and unhappy, neither his toys nor cuddles seem to soothe him. But the moment he slips into his baby tub, everything changes. His face lights up with smiles as he kicks, splashes, and plays with his bath toys, as though all his cares have been washed away. It’s pure joy to watch.
In a way, we can all relate to his fussing and squirming. How often do we find ourselves stuck in that state—frustrated, restless, and unhappy with life’s challenges? We fixate on the here and now, letting negativity spiral us downward. But just as our grandson has his bath, we too have a source of joy and renewal: knowing God.
The Bible reminds us of this truth. In 2 Peter 1:3, we learn that God’s divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through knowing Him. And in 2 Peter 3:18, we’re urged to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The answer to life’s struggles is not found in worldly solutions but in deepening our relationship with God.
Yet even as believers, we sometimes resist this truth. Instead, we search the internet for answers, chase the latest self-help trends, or focus on “knowing ourselves” better—hoping these will fix our problems. Deep down, we don’t fully trust that God alone has everything we need.
If we neglect spending time with Him, our perspective won’t change, and our attitude will remain the same. Worse still, if we view God as distant or angry—or see the Bible as His means of pointing out our shortcomings—we might avoid Him entirely, like a cat avoiding water. But nothing could be further from the truth.
How do we discover what God is really like? The answer is simple, as Jesus Himself told us: “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). By studying how Jesus treated sinners, we see His love and compassion for us. His healing of the sick, raising the dead, and freeing people from bondage show us His desire to bless and restore us. And when we reflect on His sacrifice for our sins, we catch a glimpse of the vastness of His love—a love that the cross made possible for us to experience fully.
As the old hymn beautifully declares, “Jesus paid it ALL!” Hebrews 10:10-14 affirms this, revealing that Jesus’s one-time sacrifice covers all our sins—past, present, and future. There’s no need to fear God’s anger because Jesus already paid the penalty. By taking our sins upon Himself, He became the sole object of God’s wrath. And now His grace welcomes us. Hebrews 4:16 encourages us to draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Let’s confidently come, now, just as we are, and immerse ourselves in the boundless waters of God’s goodness and love. He is more than willing to relieve us of every burden and to supply everything we need. Childlike joy awaits!
Thank you, Carrie – so glad you were able to start blogging again, as I so look forward to reading your posts!