The Lord has no need of me. He is the Creator of all things. He is larger than my imagination can conceive. He has a divine plan and can accomplish it easily without me. Sometimes in my vanity, I think I am necessary for God, but in my soul I know it is not true. Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons. (Acts 10:34 NKJV
The One who spoke a single word and created has no need of my noisy pestering prayers, but He listens anyway and often responds. He hears my many plans but wishes I would simply let Him plan for me. He prefers that I would listen to Him more often than I talk to Him. Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you.... (Isaiah 55:3 NKJV)
I proclaim that my heart is His, then often waiver when it really counts. Some days my words adore Him but my life reveals other adorations. Often I'm far too comfortable with the contradictions in my Christian walk. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:21 NKJV)
In my humanity, my flesh, my faith seems to oscillate, sometimes strong, then suddenly weak. When I'm weak Satan may accuse me of not really being a Christian. When I was a new Christian, I sort of believed him. Now I know all these failings are simply part of being human in a world broken by sin. To some, my failures might seem smaller as I progress, but my desire to live as an imitator of Christ makes them seem huge to me. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:15 NKJV)
The miracles of Christ as recorded in scripture are amazing. But as a man, nothing Jesus did is more amazing than the report that He -- in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. I remember meeting a friend for lunch a few years back. As I approached him he seemed lost in thought. Appearing astonished, this man of God reported to me that he thought it might have been three days since he last sinned. It was a personal record. If he's done better since, he's never told me.
God could have doomed us for Adam's failure. His condemnation would have been warranted, but He refused to condemn us. That's mercy. Instead Jesus left the perfection of Heaven and came to live and suffer and be tempted and die among us to save us and take us home with Himself. That's grace.
Mercy appears when we do not get what we do deserve. Grace appears when we do get what we do not deserve.
I often catch myself comparing my walk to that of other Christians -- usually ones who are struggling more than I am, or sinning more than I am or in some way failing Christ more than I am. My sinful heart seeks favorable comparisons, but the Spirit whispers within me and returns my mind to reality. He reminds me -- casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ... (2 Corinthians 10:5 NKJV)
One of the signposts I often see on the Narrow Path of Christ asks me -- Who do you think you are better than? -- reminding me that it is by the grace of God that I am who I am. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. (Phil 2:4-4 NKJV)
The Lord has no need of me. It is true. Yet He listens to me, He blesses me, He forgives me, He has redeemed me, He loves me and one day He will call me home, to His home, to live with Him forever. That too is larger than my imagination can conceive, but I receive it as Truth by faith. Sometimes wavering faith, mustard seed sized faith, but always sufficient faith. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God... (Ephesians 2:8 NKJV)
Copyright 2013 Mission of the Master Ministries, Inc. May be reproduced in whole or in part without prior written permission if a link is provided to http://wordworkswednsday.blogspot.com
No comments:
Post a Comment