To Receive is to Welcome and Accept

As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him.

Colossians 2:6 (KJV)

I remember, when I was little, a man came to deliver a package for my mother. Since she wasn't there, I decided to receive it for her. The man told me it was important. And since important doesn't mean fragile, I placed it on the dining room table. My brother, who didn't know what the package contained, nudged it slightly. But, accidentally, he pushed it a little too hard, the package fell, and we heard the sound of breaking glass. When my mother came home, she was angry and blamed me for not being careful with the package.

As a child, I didn't understand her reaction; I wasn't the one who had dropped the package. However, as I grew older and understood the meaning of the word "receive" better, I finally understood why she had blamed me. To receive something is to welcome it, accept it, and assume the responsibilities and demands that come with it. When you welcome the Lord Jesus into your life, you joyfully welcome His sacrifice and accept His conditions to benefit from the salvation He offers you.

Accepting His conditions means walking according to His precepts and obeying His commandments. By receiving Jesus, you agree to submit entirely to His will, for this is the only way to prove your acceptance. You must walk as He walked, live as He lived: by renouncing a life of sin, loving your neighbor, and carrying your cross. If you are living outside of this reality, it's time to ask yourself if you truly understand the profound meaning of the word "accept." If so, have you truly accepted Jesus with all your heart?

May the grace and peace of God be with you all.