I believe as Christians, it is completely normal for us to think daily, "what does God expect of me at this point in my life?" or "What can I do to make God pleased with me today?" It's not wrong to think this way, but it's almost as if we view God up in heaven with a huge lightning bolt ready to strike us if we don't do something to make him happy. This is also why we get so frustrated when we screw up and sin becausewe automatically think that we just blew it big time.
"he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life." – Titus 3:5-7
Wait…so what does this mean?!? Does this mean that God doesn't really expect anything good and righteous from us? If you want my honest opinion…yeah. I believe that God saw our lives as a whole before he saved us, and you know what? He did it anyway! He saw that we were completely incapable of doing anything righteous or just a little bit good in his sight.
"…and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment…" – Isaiah 64:6b (other versions may say filthy rags)
Anything even remotely great and honorable that we try to do in our lives turns out to be garbage in the eyes of God. Before you get so depressed that you stop reading, think about this. Isn't that freeing, to know that anything WE try to do for God isn't enough? Now your probably really confused. Think about that though. Why did the all knowing, holy God save us in the first place? Because of his grace and mercy and the sacrifice of his son Jesus Christ. Not because of anything that we did to make that happen. It was all the miraculous work of God.
"But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace would no longer be grace." – Romans 11:6
Where is that God-sized expectation in this picture then? If everything I do is not enough to appear righteous to God, what does that mean for my life? I heard a statement made in church before, "the cheif end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever." THIS is what God expects of our lives. And how do we glorify him? By praising his name, worshipping him with the talents and abilities he's blessed us with, and speading the Good News with those who are still in the dark. Just being available to be used by him right where we are…TODAY.
It's extremely liberating to live this way because we realize that we are going to screw up and make mistakes, but we realize that making those mistakes is not where our identity is found anymore. It is found in Jesus Christ. Where we felt insecure and useless before, we now find our security and strength in Christ Jesus. Let's do all we can today, not to make God happy, but to glorify him.
P.S. I now have World Race T-shirts for sale. They are $20 each to help me raise funds for my trip. Let me know if you are interested in purchasing one.
If you cannot read the writing on the shirt, it says, "He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." – Jim Elliot
