“Since we’ve compiled this long and sorry record as sinners and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the glorious lives God wills for us, God did it for us. Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we’re in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ.” (Romans 3, The Message)
It’s not only what He did for us then, it is about NOW. This day we are set right with God. This day He rejoices over you (& me) with joy (Zeph.3:17), because he has restored us to himself through the cross of Jesus Christ. 
There’s no “earning” it. Forget “trying to measure up”. Rather, set your thoughts on who God is and what He has done and is doing in your life. Embrace the gift He’s given, and believe that you ARE covered 24-7-365 in the righteousness of Christ. He died to give you this gift. And he rose from the dead triumphing over the power of sin and death. He made us free from the slavery of sin & death. He is alive, calling us to walk with him today by the power of his Spirit dwelling in us. (Romans 8)
“What we’ve learned is this: God does not respond to what WE do; we respond to what God does. We’ve finally figured it out. Our lives get in step with God and all others by letting HIM set the pace, not by proudly or anxiously trying to run the parade… By shifting our focus from what we do to what GOD does, don’t we cancel out all our careful keeping of the rules and ways God commanded? NOT AT ALL. What happens, in fact, is that by putting that entire way of life in its proper place, we confirm it.” (Romans 3, The Message)
“This is why THE FULFILLMENT OF GOD’S PROMISE DEPENDS ENTIRELY ON TRUSTING GOD AND HIS WAY, and then SIMPLY EMBRACING HIM AND WHAT HE DOES.” (Romans 4, The Message)
I’m no longer trying to “toe-the-line”. I am learning to be a child of God. “In HIM we live, and move, and have our BEing.”
