Day 28

Acceptance through the Blood

Jesus took the rejection that we deserved, so that we might have the acceptance that He deserved.
— Derek Prince

The only person whose opinion truly matters looks at you and finds you more valuable than all the jewels on earth. In the gospel, you are simultaneously more flawed and sinful than you ever dared believe, yet more accepted and loved than you ever dared hope.
— Timothy Keller

For it was always in his perfect plan to adopt us as his delightful children, through our union with Jesus, the Anointed One, so that his tremendous love cascading over us would glorify his grace—for the same love he has for the Beloved, Jesus, he has for us. And this unfolding plan brings him great pleasure!

Ephesians 1:6, TPT

Audio readingAcceptance through the Blood

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In a world where worth is measured by possessions and popularity, it’s easy to feel insignificant and alone. We wrestle with a persistent sense of unworthiness, even among those closest to us. Families, schools, and communities can become stages where acceptance depends on what we own or accomplish, rather than who we are.

Performance-driven institutions like classrooms, offices, and social platforms encourage us to tie our value to grades, prizes, and accolades. Yet these fleeting markers never truly satisfy. At the peak of success, a hollow ache remains. Where, then, does lasting worth reside?

From the moment sin barred humanity from Eden’s Tree of Life, rejection stalked our hearts. Consider Cain’s tragic envy when his sacrifice was rejected and he slew Abel. That first act of fraternal violence signalled our descent into hatred, cruelty, and rejection. Left to ourselves, we remain trapped in a cycle of worthlessness. But long before Eden’s loss, God had already ordained our remedy: His Son. So, at just the right time, God enacted a final solution.

Isaiah prophesied that rejection would mark the Messiah’s sufferings. The very people He came to serve, including their leaders, handed Him over for crucifixion, choosing Barabbas instead: “He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him” (John 1:11).

He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Isaiah 53:3, ESV

Perhaps most painful was the desertion by His closest friends. His disciples fled. Peter denied Him three times (Matthew 26:69–75). This scorn was the just punishment for our sin.

On the cross, Christ embodied our brokenness under divine judgment. His battered body mirrored our fallen nature, yet He endured it so that we might receive what He alone deserved: acceptance by the Father. Because Christ lived, died, and rose in our place, we inherit a priceless blessing: eternal acceptance. Jesus’ blood atones, cleanses, and clothes us in righteousness. No longer slaves to fear, we become God’s adopted children, crying, “Abba! Father!” as His Spirit affirms our identity (Romans 8:15–16).

To those who receive Him and believe in His name, He grants the right to become children of God (John 1:12–13). And not as second-tier children, but co-heirs with Christ Himself, loved just as dearly as the Beloved (John 17:23, 26). This truth should revolutionise our self-worth. If the Author of the universe fully accepts us, can any earthly rejection truly define us? No! We stand secure in divine approval.