Well folks, it's been a week of ups and downs. There has been so much to be thankful for, but also many reminders that we are sinners living in a broken and fallen world that groans out for redemption. Like Elisabeth Elliot says, if we had everything we wanted in this world, we wouldn't long for the world to come.
This year has been hard. My faith has been shaken. I've really struggled with sin. Even though I know that God has forgiven me, I haven't always felt forgiven. Though it's been difficult, I can see how it's also been good for me. God has loved me relentlessly. He has pursued me through it all, and I have found it is good to be broken, to really, really know my need for a Savior. To not just know about Christ's grace, but to ache for it. To live and breathe it every day!
And then, these last two weeks, I've had minor physical problems. Nothing serious (thankfully it has NOT been a big deal), but it has still been an inconvenience that has been uncomfortable, at times painful, and always disheartening. How badly I want to respond to these trials in strength, with faith, and yet, the truth? Mostly, if I wasn't trying to stifle the rising feeling of fear and anxiety over the worst-case-scenerios, I was troubled in my heart about the inconvenience another trip to the doctor was to my day. Am I ever thankful that God is faithful to the faithless!
Today as I was sitting in Barnes and Noble reading (a rare occurence nowadays), it all suddenly struck me as funny. On my table was a cookbook called Super Natural Cooking, with pictures of peas and brown rice and asparagus floating around on its cover, and in front of me was a half eaten piece of coffee cake and a latte. Ah yes, I thought. The story of my life. It's the constant struggle between who I want to be, and - alas - who I really am.
But open on the table was the passage of Scripture I was reading. There is a solution to this problem, and it is this: "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the UNGODLY. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through Him! for if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life! Not only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation." (Rom 5:6-11)
So today, on my way home, Micah and I sang, "This is the day that the Lord has made! Let us rejoice and be glad in it!" Yes, I am a sinner. Yes, I got stuck with a needle today. But like Micah says, I can still be "happy happy happy!" Because of God's grace I can gladly say with David,
This year has been hard. My faith has been shaken. I've really struggled with sin. Even though I know that God has forgiven me, I haven't always felt forgiven. Though it's been difficult, I can see how it's also been good for me. God has loved me relentlessly. He has pursued me through it all, and I have found it is good to be broken, to really, really know my need for a Savior. To not just know about Christ's grace, but to ache for it. To live and breathe it every day!
And then, these last two weeks, I've had minor physical problems. Nothing serious (thankfully it has NOT been a big deal), but it has still been an inconvenience that has been uncomfortable, at times painful, and always disheartening. How badly I want to respond to these trials in strength, with faith, and yet, the truth? Mostly, if I wasn't trying to stifle the rising feeling of fear and anxiety over the worst-case-scenerios, I was troubled in my heart about the inconvenience another trip to the doctor was to my day. Am I ever thankful that God is faithful to the faithless!
Today as I was sitting in Barnes and Noble reading (a rare occurence nowadays), it all suddenly struck me as funny. On my table was a cookbook called Super Natural Cooking, with pictures of peas and brown rice and asparagus floating around on its cover, and in front of me was a half eaten piece of coffee cake and a latte. Ah yes, I thought. The story of my life. It's the constant struggle between who I want to be, and - alas - who I really am.
But open on the table was the passage of Scripture I was reading. There is a solution to this problem, and it is this: "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the UNGODLY. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through Him! for if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life! Not only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation." (Rom 5:6-11)
So today, on my way home, Micah and I sang, "This is the day that the Lord has made! Let us rejoice and be glad in it!" Yes, I am a sinner. Yes, I got stuck with a needle today. But like Micah says, I can still be "happy happy happy!" Because of God's grace I can gladly say with David,
"Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the man
whose sin the Lord will never count against him!" (Psalm 32:1,2)
1 comment:
thanks for sharing such a great reminder of the unfathomable gift of grace and the life-changing power of His forgiveness! His mercies are new each morning, aren't they? :) love you friend!
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