Thursday, June 1, 2017

Our Search For Perfection Is Found In Jesus Not In Self Effort - God Expects Nothing Less and Nothing More



He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" —Ezekiel 37:3

{CHAMBERS} “Can a sinner be turned into a saint? Can a twisted life be made right? There is only one appropriate answer— “O Lord God, You know” (Ezekiel 37:3). Never forge ahead with your religious common sense and say, “Oh, yes, with just a little more Bible reading, devotional time, and prayer, I see how it can be done.” It is much easier to do something than to trust in God; we see the activity and mistake panic for inspiration. […] Do I really believe that God will do in me what I cannot do? […] When God wants to show you what human nature is like separated from Himself, He shows it to you in yourself. […] My “grave” has been opened by God and “I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells” (Romans 7:18). God’s Spirit continually reveals to His children what human nature is like apart from His grace.”

{ELGIN} How real is your faith? How deep is your trust? Is it real enough .. is it deep enough to endure whatever might happen to you or people around you?  Does your faith depend upon “good” things happening in your life.  Have you decided that the proof of God’s presence and even blessing in your life is the absence of trouble, disappointment, sickness, heartache?  As I write these words, I wonder what proof I demand in my own life?  All I really have to do is look in the mirror.  There I see a life transformed. Transformed in the midst of trouble, disappointment, sickness and heartache.  Through it all God has shown His power and His love and His presence. 

We must be careful, it is so easy to neglect the good and focus on the bad, what is not right, what is missing.  As it happens, I have been leading an effort at work that has a lot of “moving parts”.  Very complicated with many hurdles to overcome.  That effort culminated in a meeting for the person in charge who needed to make a decision to proceed.  He did make the decision.  Everyone on my team made a valiant effort to make that happen.  After the meeting, someone, not in the chain of authority, asked the team to stay for a few minutes.  He then went on a tirade over the fact that there were some typographical errors on a slide.  This person demands perfection.  Even though the mission was accomplished and the decision maker was confident as to the correctness of his decision.  It really had nothing to do with the work done, the effort made, but the desire on the part of one person for perfection before he could be satisfied.  He effectively discouraged everyone on the team.  I had a meeting afterward to correct the new perception that we had somehow failed because a missing “-“ and space.

As a pastor of a country church we used to attend would say “God can hit straight with a crooked stick.”  The only one who is perfect is Jesus.  We are all jars of clay.  We may demand perfection.  We can certainly strive to be the best and do the best possible, but God is looking for willing hearts and devoted following.  Your new life in Christ will not be perfect, not saying we should be content with sin, but God can and will use a repentant hearted person for His purposes.  That was the essential difference between King Saul and King David.  He will use you, even with a few missing “-“’s and spaces.

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