When I chose the name "Living for the glory of God" for my blog, that was my heart's desire. And it still is. I truly desire for my life to bring praise to the One who gave his life for mine. God is so, so worthy. I want to bring him praise.
However, more and more He is showing me that I simply cannot do this. At all. I am human. Without Him my sin is filthy, overwhelming, putrid. I am utterly wretched on my own.
It is only in God's grace that I can live. And the beauty of His grace is that He has purified me, cancelled my sin, healed me, rescued and ransomed me, made me free, and made me His own. No longer am I wretched and filthy and utterly, hopelessy lost. He has covered me in His blood, and by His grace I am whole, free to live the abundant life He gives me.
God's love is so incredible that he wants me to share in His purposes. Even though I'm not very good at following him. Even though I am vastly imperfect and my flesh is sinful. Even though I'm exceptionally talented at messing things up. God is more than capable of fulfilling His plans and purposes for the world without my help. Or my hindrance.
It's kind of like letting a kindergartner help you bake cupcakes. You know they'll stir so fast that they splash the batter around. They'll probably dump in a whole cup of salt by mistake, and you'll have to start over. They'll get frosting everywhere and the cupcakes will most definitely not be pretty. They'll be sticky and messy. But you let them help anyway because you love them. Even though you could do a much better job yourself. Even though it would be easier not to have them help. Even though you could make them perfectly beautiful.
You let them help because you love them.
And that's a very small and imperfect picture of what God does with me. And you. The Sovereign King of the Universe loved us enough to rescue us from the bondage of sin. Not only that, but He heals our hearts and makes us whole. Not only that, but He invites us to be His hands and feet used to carry out His perfect purposes. Even though we're a bunch of sticky, clumsy kindergartners.
He just loves us that much.
So in and of myself I can't bring Him glory, because I'm less than nothing without Him. But He can use my small life to bring Himself praise. And that's what I want. Unfortunately, I don't often live like it.
But that's why Christ died. His mercies are new every morning. And I can only stand in His grace, place myself into His nail-scarred hands, and embrace His purposes, allowing Him to fulfill them in and through me.
That's the only way I'll ever bring Him glory and praise.
And so I changed the name of my blog to "inHisgracealone.blogspot.com." I simply imported everything, so the name is the only thing different.
Please update your links, etc. accordingly. I'm sorry for any inconvenience, but I feel that this is a more true expression of my life. Because this is the life I have been given, in Christ's grace alone.
You are most welcome to share in this journey, as I grow more, know Him more, and seek to bring Him praise. In His grace alone, I have life. Life abundantly...
However, more and more He is showing me that I simply cannot do this. At all. I am human. Without Him my sin is filthy, overwhelming, putrid. I am utterly wretched on my own.
It is only in God's grace that I can live. And the beauty of His grace is that He has purified me, cancelled my sin, healed me, rescued and ransomed me, made me free, and made me His own. No longer am I wretched and filthy and utterly, hopelessy lost. He has covered me in His blood, and by His grace I am whole, free to live the abundant life He gives me.
God's love is so incredible that he wants me to share in His purposes. Even though I'm not very good at following him. Even though I am vastly imperfect and my flesh is sinful. Even though I'm exceptionally talented at messing things up. God is more than capable of fulfilling His plans and purposes for the world without my help. Or my hindrance.
It's kind of like letting a kindergartner help you bake cupcakes. You know they'll stir so fast that they splash the batter around. They'll probably dump in a whole cup of salt by mistake, and you'll have to start over. They'll get frosting everywhere and the cupcakes will most definitely not be pretty. They'll be sticky and messy. But you let them help anyway because you love them. Even though you could do a much better job yourself. Even though it would be easier not to have them help. Even though you could make them perfectly beautiful.
You let them help because you love them.
And that's a very small and imperfect picture of what God does with me. And you. The Sovereign King of the Universe loved us enough to rescue us from the bondage of sin. Not only that, but He heals our hearts and makes us whole. Not only that, but He invites us to be His hands and feet used to carry out His perfect purposes. Even though we're a bunch of sticky, clumsy kindergartners.
He just loves us that much.
So in and of myself I can't bring Him glory, because I'm less than nothing without Him. But He can use my small life to bring Himself praise. And that's what I want. Unfortunately, I don't often live like it.
But that's why Christ died. His mercies are new every morning. And I can only stand in His grace, place myself into His nail-scarred hands, and embrace His purposes, allowing Him to fulfill them in and through me.
That's the only way I'll ever bring Him glory and praise.
And so I changed the name of my blog to "inHisgracealone.blogspot.com." I simply imported everything, so the name is the only thing different.
Please update your links, etc. accordingly. I'm sorry for any inconvenience, but I feel that this is a more true expression of my life. Because this is the life I have been given, in Christ's grace alone.
You are most welcome to share in this journey, as I grow more, know Him more, and seek to bring Him praise. In His grace alone, I have life. Life abundantly...
