sometimes i think this way.
"ok Lord. i do so much that is good and right and have helped so many people this week. you see that i am in financial difficulty. don't you think that i have done enough for you to help me out now??"
it is like i think the Lord has a point system.
helping mom and dad with gas money: 5 pts
being hospitable: 3 pts
giving counsel and listening with a nice "i-am-here-for-you" face: 2 pts
weekly total: 10 pts.
1-3 pts gets three good things for you this week.
4-7 pts gets five good things for you this week.
7-10 pts gets you a good week with extra money thrown in.
it is hard for me to remember that nothing that i do merits anything. anything good that i do doesn't make me inherently good. anything good i do is because i have Christ.
just because i do something nice for someone or am good for five minutes, i think that that merits me something. but God doesn't work on a point system. he works on the basis of mercy and grace. i deserve a huge expenditure and high bills with nothing in my checking account. but instead, i have medium expenditure and medium bills and just enough money in my checking account.
i think: i do something good--i get a reward.
i don't think: i did something bad--i get my punishment.
thank you Lord for your mercy, and not giving me what i deserve
amen
Posted by: gwen at December 21, 2004 01:16 PMDidn't post from Dec 12 through Dec 21= -20 points.
Life is hard, and then you blog.
Posted by: jon at December 21, 2004 04:09 PMamen. thank you. much needed.
Posted by: scott at December 21, 2004 07:47 PMreally good. thanks a lot for the reminder, hillary.
Posted by: zacfoo at December 21, 2004 09:33 PMWe all have a ahorrid tendency to think in just this way, and you were brave enough to put it out on the world-wide-web. Thanks, Hill. Excellent and timely reminder. I for one have bene thinking that way about way more than money, lately.
Posted by: jen d at December 22, 2004 10:48 AMThank you indeed!
Here is a thought that is equally thought provoking....
We fail him so much. We hurt those that are close to us. We are selfish and are consumed with fulfilling our own desires. Our sinful pride denies us the privilege of coming into deep fellowship with the Lord. We foolishly seek after inordinate affections. We meditate upon thoughts that ought not be entertained. We befriend ourselves with a world that is in enmity with God. How can God love us when we so hurt the ones we love the most? Why does He attend unto our prayers and cries with such urgency? It is not, like you said Hill, because of our good works that earn merit with such a great God. For we know that there is nothing we can do to make God love us more. However, we must also understand that there is nothing that can make God love us less. God's love toward us is not based upon our works, as explained so beautifully in Ephesians 2:4-5 "But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love werewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace (unmerited favor) ye are saved)" The love of God toward was determined before the very foundations of the world. God's love abounds! It is everlasting! It has been so graciously bestowed upon us! So what of all those "good things" that we do? Well, God does say in Isaiah 64:6 that "all our righteousness is as filthy rags:" and we can do nothing but humbly come before the Lord and plead for His grace. In our weakness we can find Christ's sufficiency to overcome! Our works become acts of thankfulness, an offering of gratitude to a righteous God! Though inadequate the Lord is pleased for He sees Christ intersession on our behalf.
What should our response be to such a truth? Well, even though we often act with wrong motives. Even though we hurt others, we are called to repent, seek restoration both from God and those whom we have hurt, and as James 4:8-10 says, "draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners, and purify your hearts, ye double minded...Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up."
From…someone who couldn’t sleep that was challenged, rebuked, and blessed from your thoughts…In Christ…from a friend in Christ
Please note: Comments will not appear immediately. Your comment will appear upon approval by the blog's editor. We had to implement this to decrease the amount of spam that our site receives. Please forgive the inconvenience. We are looking into other, friendlier options.