Tests… assessments…. appraisals… diagnostics… benchmarking… COVID tests… evaluations… reports… they are all around us; in our sport, in our TV shows, in our jobs, in our schools and seemingly more so than ever before. We live in a world that looks to testing for many and varied things. Now don’t get me wrong, testing can be a very useful and helpful strategy for ascertaining what went wrong and what went right and what we can change for the future. The students and teachers of our College are in the midst of testing right now…testing the skills and knowledge gained throughout the year and much more. Our Year 12 students are presently sitting their HSC exams, which may help determine what they decide to pursue next year. These are important and significant tests that serve a definite purpose.
However, what a blessing and relief it is to look at how God sees us. We don’t need to reach a certain benchmark, pass a certain test or complete a set assessment to be loved and accepted by our Heavenly Father. When we come to faith in God through Jesus, He sees each of us as His children whom he loves. We are fearfully and wonderfully made, seen as redeemed and blameless, just as God sees Jesus. No tests to pass, just acceptance of His grace and mercy. What a blessing!
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.” Ephesians 1:3-6