More? or Enough...

So many people I know have felt so dissatisfied with their walk with the Lord. Not with the Lord himself, but with how they were relating to Him (or not, as the case may be). What is the problem? Are we not doing enough or maybe doing what we shouldn't and He is keeping Himself aloof because He is not pleased with us? What is wrong?

I have a theory, not surprising to those who know me. My theory is that it is we who are keeping ourself aloof from Him. We feel that we, somehow, have to measure up by reading our Bibles more, praying more, listening to Christian radio or sermons more. More, always more. We can never seem to do enough to make us feel accepted and loved by our Father in heaven. But, what if, as He's asked us too, we don't do a thing other than accept the Father's gift of His Son, Jesus Christ as a sacrifice for us? We come to Him with the filthy rags of our own righteousness, and He covers us with His righteousness. We say "Thank you Lord for your Grace and Mercy" and move on in the knowledge that Christ is enough. We too often think that after we accept His sacrifice for our sin, that somehow we are no longer human, no longer sinners. Suddenly we have become someone else entirely. Yes, we have become "new creations in Christ...", but notice the "IN CHRIST" part. We act as if suddenly the filthy rags of our own "right-ness" are somehow now clean and we proudly gather them up around us and try to use them to begin cleaning up our lives. It never works for long, soon we begin asking ourselves "what's wrong with me? Why can't I do what I know I should? Where is the power for my life?"

Romans 7: 15, 24 - I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. What a wretched man I am!... Who will rescue me from this body of death

You can see from these verses, nothing is new. Paul the Apostle dealt with this himself and in others. What do we do than?

Galatians 3: 1-3 -Oh, foolish Galatians! What magician has cast an evil spell on you? For you used to see the meaning of Jesus Christ's death as clearly as though I had shown you a signboard with a picture of Christ dying on the cross. Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by keeping the law? Of course not, for the Holy Spirit came upon you only after you believed the message you heard about Christ. Have you lost your senses? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?

I think this is where the "Peace that passes understanding" passage comes in. We say "Thanks. I know I am not worthy in and of myself, but through your precious blood, you've made me accepted. I don't understand how this works, but I thank you for you grace and mercy to me." As Paul said in the 25th verse of Romans 7

Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Father in heaven loves you and me. We have been redeemed. There is no more price to pay or works to do to earn this gift. It was and is free to us, it cost Christ a great price, but He gave it to us free. Thank you Father! Thank you Jesus!