A few days ago I read Psalm 91:14 – 16. There are two actors in that passage. One who loves the Lord and the Lord. In the passage the Lord is describing one who loves Him and detailing what He does for him. I noticed that the scales are not balanced.
There are times when I may think that the Lord is lucky to have me. I mean after all I do a lot for Him…right…
When the creator of the universe has chosen to have a relationship with you and has died so that could happen, there is not much one can do to even that score.
We are forever in His debt. This is a relationship that is completely out of balance. We get much more that we can ever hope to repay… That is kind of the point.
| What the one who Loves the Lord does | What the Lord does |
| Loves the Lord | Delivers him |
| Knows the Lord’s Name | Answers him |
| Calls upon the Lord | Is with him |
| Rescues him | |
| Honors him | |
| Satisfies him with a long life | |
| Lets him see his salvation |
There are times when I may think that the Lord is lucky to have me. I mean after all I do a lot for Him…right…
When the creator of the universe has chosen to have a relationship with you and has died so that could happen, there is not much one can do to even that score.
We are forever in His debt. This is a relationship that is completely out of balance. We get much more that we can ever hope to repay… That is kind of the point.
This is a powerful and most necessary truth to grasp to bring our lives into communion with God. I wonder if John Newton had this, or most certainly a passage like it, when he wrote the words to "Amazing Grace...?"
ReplyDeleteThe answer to your question, Mike, for me is yes, I have felt this way, and still do, frequently. It's just taken me a LONG time to even begin to recognize it. Sadly, only in the last year and a half has it even begun to dawn.
I'm only beginning to learn how to recognize, mourn and weep over my sin. I am seeing the value of confession and the freedom it gives me with God. I am learning to identify with the publican of Jesus story in Luke 18 (v.13), "O God, be favorable (gracious, merciful) to me - the especially wicked sinner that I am!" (Amplified trans.)
John Piper has a wonderful phrase about our bad decisions, "the imputed righteousness of Christ will swallow it up as you rest in Him." What freedom it gives to know this as I head out into the world to face innumerable decisions, many of which I will fumble and tests I will fail.
I am still righteous, because it depends on what He has already done. Completely.