As the father of two attractive daughters, I’m no stranger to the dynamics of impressions.  We’ve noticed at restaurants and stores that the young men waiting on us are MUCH more helpful when one or both daughters are with us!  They want to make a good impression on my daughter(s).

It’s fun to watch the awkward attempts to impress.  But then I realize that it’s what we all do, right?  We want to impress someone.  We want someone to notice, to approve, to give us the thumbs up.

Who are you trying to impress?  A potential spouse?  Your kids?  Your father?  Your professor?  Your boss?  How would your life change if you KNEW beyond the shadow of a doubt that they already noticed you, approved of you, and gave you a big thumbs up?  What would be different for you?

Sometimes we spend time and energy trying to impress God.  We go to church, we read the Bible, we pray (maybe even aloud), we volunteer for something, we give some money, we put on a smile and pretend everything’s good all the time.  But what if you could KNOW beyond the shadow of a doubt that God already notices you?  That he already approves of you?  That he has given you the big thumbs up?  How would that change your relationship with God?  Consider the following:

• Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1)
• If God is for us, who can be against us?  He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:31-32)
• For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39

If you are a follower of Christ, then God already notices you.  He already approves of you (in Christ), and he gives you a big thumbs up.  You’re “impressive” enough!  Now, instead of trying to IMPRESS God, you can EXPRESS God.  Your life can be an expression of God and his love to the world around you?  What might that look like for you today?

-Pastor Mark