“When we accept ownership of our powerlessness, and helplessness, when we acknowledge that we are paupers at the door of God’s mercy, then God can make something beautiful out of us. We are nothing before God and can’t save ourselves.” –Brennan Manning, The Ragamuffin Gospel
As I was reading The Ragamuffin Gospel this week I was reminded that I am a sinner saved by grace. Who am I to think I could work to earn this grace? That waking up earlier to read or being more prayerful would get me in a right place before God? None of these things are the gospel of grace. I can’t save myself, only what Jesus did is sufficient. It is a pure act of love that He lavishes grace on me. I want to be able to say with full confidence like Brennan Manning, “My deepest awareness of myself is that I am deeply loved by Jesus Christ and I have done nothing to earn or deserve it.” I think God is taking me to that place.
So many times in scripture I’ve read humble yourselves, to me that translates that I am the one who has to do the humbling. I’ve prayed God humble me, God humble me, I’m not saying that prayer is bad, but He is the one telling us to humble ourselves and so we have a part in that too. I find this works best for me when I actually physically get low to the ground, when I get on my knees. Down on my knees I begin to understand and take on my rightful place before the Almighty. In the moments I bring myself low I feel Christ lifting me up and showing me how close He holds me to His heart.
Jesus just keeps wrecking me with His love. He shows me over and over how much he adores me—whether it be by a rainbow, a cool breeze, a hug from a little girl, a smoothie purchased by a friend, a scripture He brings to memory, some encouragement from my man, a skype date with my mom and sis—he knows just what my heart desires and needs.
We will be defeated at times and soiled by life’s trials, we will become weary, but if we cling to faith instead of a list of good works and titles then we will be washed in His blood. In this clinging to Him, our faith will deepen and we will realize that everything is a gift. Our life will become a song of humble and joyful thanksgiving because we recognize we can't save ourselves–everything is accomplished by His grace and given to us because of His love.
I want to leave you with one more quote from Brennan Manning’s book, “For those who feel their lives are a grave disappointment to God, it requires enormous trust and reckless, raging confidence to accept that the love of Jesus Christ knows no shadow of alteration or change. When Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy burdened," He assumed we would grow weary, discouraged, and disheartened along the way. These words are a touching testimony to the genuine humanness of Jesus. He had no romantic notion of the cost of discipleship. He knew that following Him was as unsentimental as duty, as demanding as love.” I’ve decided I have to lean in to Him more, that I have to actually come to Him like He says I can. Remember we are nothing, we have no reason to boast, except in a Christ that died for us and covers us with his righteousness and loves us with an unfailing love. I believe He wants to remind you of His love in a new way today, expect to experience Him when you go to Him. And as you go deeper in the Spirit and realize that you too are powerless and helpless, you will feel so free to accept everything in your everyday, moment to moment as a gift and you will be so filled with joy.
