Simple Grace

This week I had a chance to hear a song that I haven't heard in several years. At a friend's wedding this week near LaGrange the congregation sang this song. Every time I hear it I'm just reminded of how much God loves me. I think that we make life really complicated and in turn we make our walk with God complicated. But when it comes down to it, it's really as simple as this statement from I Timothy..."Christ Jesus died to save sinners - and I am the worst". I needed His grace and He died to cover my debt. Thank God for His grace the covers my sin and gives me a new identity...

How deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom

(last verse is probably my favorite)
Behold the King upon the throne
The sons all brought to glory
Cry Hallelujah to the Lamb
And sing redemptions story
And all creation joins as one
The wretch is now God's treasure
By grace alone, through faith alone
In Christ alone forever.

I'm Weak and He's Not

A few weeks ago I was reminded of a very simple yet profound concept...God's greatness. Yeah, yeah...I know it sounds really cliche and unfortunately we through that phrase around without giving it much thought. But at the time it was nothing short of amazing. What I realized then and have come to see even more is that there is only ONE solution for my weakness. It isn't to "fix" myself to be a better person (by the way, God never said to improve the old man that's why He gave us the new man!), it isn't to try just a little harder next time. It is to lean even harder into the strength of God and rest in His amazing ability to support me. Two foundation ideas have surfaced in all of this...I am weak and God is great. The first part isn't very hard to figure out. Most of us can acknowledge that we are weak. I am more aware than anybody else of my great weakness - my capacity to sin, my tendency to be selfish, my fear, etc. But what I must grab hold of even more is God's greatness in the middle of my circumstances. He is sufficient to provide for everything that I need. The best thing I can do when I am made aware of my weakness is to rest in His ability to carry me and to trust His faithful love that has never left me.

Post-Haiti Thoughts

These are some of the things the Lord has started teaching me during and after my trip to Haiti. My trip was great...God has stirred some things in my heart that continue to have me searching still...so far here is what He's stirred in me.

Apathy is intolerable. It is ungodly to be apathetic toward things that God cares greatly about. The hearts of people, the souls of a nation, the suffering of the poor, and the affluent indifference of the wealthy – these things are serious matters and as a Christian I cannot turn a blind eye and pretend that I don’t see it. It is these things for which we will be held accountable.

Jesus Christ is the only hope for a person, a community, a nation, and the world. There is no other option. No government can solve the problems of society. No relief effort can absolve spiritual poverty.

Worship is my created purpose. It’s not an option, although I am given the freedom to express it or not. Worship is not circumstantial. Worship is NOT music or singing. Worship is a lifestyle. If I should choose not to worship God with my life, I am missing the very reason I am here. Though I am given the choice and freedom to worship, I am not fulfilling the purpose of God when I choose under which circumstances and situations I will worship and under which I will not worship.

As John Piper says, “Missions is bringing worship to a place where worship does not exist.” Missions is an extension of my primarily calling to worship my Father.

I want my life to count. In some ways that can be an extremely selfish statement, and I may be selfish in making it. However, my purpose in saying it is this: When I stand before God I want to know that what He called me to do, I did. That when He told me to sacrifice Isaac, I went “early the next morning” and climbed Mount Moriah with no other plan than to give away what is most precious to me. Obedience is better than sacrifice.

I am so incredibly in love with Jesus and so thankful to Him for salvation and freedom from sin. Without hope for my rescue from the curse of sin and without the promise of eternal life, my existence has no meaning. I am so blessed to be loved by a God that created the mountains that He can also command to move. I am thankful for the Holy Spirit who lives within me and who gives me power to be His witness. I am thankful to Jesus for bearing the weight of my sin and choosing not to call legions of angels, but rather to endure a gruesome death by choice.

In closing, II Corinthians 2:14-15 sums up my feelings pretty well. “Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.”