My leader once told me, "The more you know God, the more you see how sinful we really are." That was in 2010 and I was undergoing a Refiner's Fire moment where God was dealing with my heart. Deep inside I wish she wasn't right. Like I said in my past blog post, I thought I was a good person. I don't commit crimes. I don't steal. I don't borrow and not repay. I try to do the right things which include alms for the poor, etc. etc.
But you know what, she was right. The more we know God, the more we see where we miss His mark. The more we see where we do not meet His standard. Let us not be discouraged when God gives such high standards that we feel we fail and cannot comply. We are supposed to acknowledge that without the grace of God, we are sinners and need help for God to work in our lives and change us.
It takes God's humility to work in us so that we avoid feeling self-righteous to be labeled in the same category as "sinners." But that's the reality. We really are sinners and we have to be open to God for anything He wants to correct in our lives.
But you know what, it is the failures and mistakes that make God's unconditional love and Jesus' sacrifice on the cross more a reality in our hearts. We are as loved when we are still in sin. Jesus would still have died for us. When we know we blew it, the more we appreciate that God does still love us. He had to do what He had to do 2,000 years ago to keep us from being separated from Him for eternity.
"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).
Do you know the agony He really went through in the garden (Luke 22:39-46) and the choice He could have made so that He could save Himself from the bitter punishment of the Roman cross intended for criminals? Last night, I was reading that part because I wanted to understand more that God loves me. If Jesus did not go through what He went through, all my failings would have kept me from coming to God, all the sins I was ignorant of would have kept me from worshiping God. But since Jesus obeyed in spite of knowing what He would go through, Jesus sealed my fate 2,000 years ago. This woman's life will be lived in victory, full of purpose, not anymore bound by her failures.
But you know what, she was right. The more we know God, the more we see where we miss His mark. The more we see where we do not meet His standard. Let us not be discouraged when God gives such high standards that we feel we fail and cannot comply. We are supposed to acknowledge that without the grace of God, we are sinners and need help for God to work in our lives and change us.
It takes God's humility to work in us so that we avoid feeling self-righteous to be labeled in the same category as "sinners." But that's the reality. We really are sinners and we have to be open to God for anything He wants to correct in our lives.
But you know what, it is the failures and mistakes that make God's unconditional love and Jesus' sacrifice on the cross more a reality in our hearts. We are as loved when we are still in sin. Jesus would still have died for us. When we know we blew it, the more we appreciate that God does still love us. He had to do what He had to do 2,000 years ago to keep us from being separated from Him for eternity.
"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).
Do you know the agony He really went through in the garden (Luke 22:39-46) and the choice He could have made so that He could save Himself from the bitter punishment of the Roman cross intended for criminals? Last night, I was reading that part because I wanted to understand more that God loves me. If Jesus did not go through what He went through, all my failings would have kept me from coming to God, all the sins I was ignorant of would have kept me from worshiping God. But since Jesus obeyed in spite of knowing what He would go through, Jesus sealed my fate 2,000 years ago. This woman's life will be lived in victory, full of purpose, not anymore bound by her failures.
I am all the more thankful and know that God did love me unconditionally and He still loves me now in spite of my failures to meet His standard. And because of that, I can not go back to a life of defeat anymore to my enemy who wants my life as well. This sinner is so grateful that she want her Lord to win through her life.
One time, I recall being in bed after sinning again for the nth time. And I remembered I wanted to stand up even though I felt like I failed God many times. I wanted to stand up because I did not want the enemy to win over my God who gave His all for me. I will not let the enemy win over my Lord who did nothing but love me.
I will not let the enemy win and have the last say in my life and in my story. I have a feeling you don't want that too. So stand up again, ask for God's ready forgiveness and you will taste and see that He is indeed good (Psalm 34:8) and merciful (Psalms 6:2), He is faithful even when we are not (2 Timothy 2:13).
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