Qualified and Accepted

It was a heartbreaking post.

A woman who for decades dedicated her life to military service, was deployed multiple times overseas and sacrificed so much was told she did not qualify for a particular program that offered the care that she needed.

What does it take to be qualified?

My mind wandered to others areas where this word qualify stands out.

The Boston Marathon immediately came to mind.

Having some friends who are runners, I know that you have to achieve a certain time in order to  qualify for this prestigious race.

The dedication it must take to prepare for one of these marathons, the daily training and commitment amazes me.

But even with all of the training and sacrifice, it is still possible to be denied a spot.

According to the Boston Athletic Association, there were over 30,000 applications received from qualified runners for registration last year.

Just over 23,000 were accepted.  

Due to field size limitations, over 7,000 people, despite being qualified, were not accepted to participate.

It does not seem to make sense.

Qualified but not accepted.

Can you imagine the heartbreak of knowing you have sacrificed so much only to be told you are not accepted?

Yet some of these runners made the sacrifice anyway.

So did Jesus.

Because of Him, I am both qualified and accepted.

And I know that I am not qualified because of anything I have done.

“By ourselves we are not qualified in any way to claim that we can do anything.  Rather, God makes us qualified.” 2 Corinthians 3:5 GW

I am not sufficient by myself, but through Him I have what I need to be qualified.

The sacrifice that makes me accepted was not my own.

It was HIS.

There are no field size limitations that take me out of the race.

There is a spot for everyone.

“My Father’s house has many rooms. If that were not true, would I have told you that I’m going to prepare a place for you?”  John 14: 2

Everyone who believes qualifies to be a part of His kingdom.

Qualified and accepted.

Amen.