As most people who have been around me for any length of time at all know, I am Daddy to a precious, one year old daughter, Abbye Grace. If you didn’t know that, now you do; and oh by the way let me pull out my phone and show you the latest picture or video. Better yet, go to my facebook photos and check out a pic or video. I promise it will brighten your day.
There is no doubt that my girl thinks she is the boss. I get the biggest kick out of watching her march around on Wednesday Nights at The Storehouse and bark out undecipherable orders to the students who attend our weekly worship service. But the truth is, despite being the most beautiful, intelligent, and happy 16 month old on the planet; left to herself, Abbye is helpless. If she were left alone somewhere without help, her chances of survival would be none. She couldn’t feed herself. She couldn’t clothe herself. She couldn’t defend herself. The dangers that this world would pose to an unattended toddler are terrifying to think about.
That is such a picture of us without Christ. Even though we march around and act like we are in charge and we are the center of our universe; we must remember that we are not. As much as we would like to convince ourselves that at our core we are basically “good;” the reality is that we are corrupt. Left to ourselves, we are nothing but poor, depraved sinful beings that have no hope for spiritual survival on our own. We are all too often oblivious in our Laodicean spiritual mentality: ‘I’m rich; I have become wealthy and need nothing,’ and you don’t know that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked,” (Revelation 3:17). We have to remember who we are. We are nothing apart from Christ.
Even though my Abbye is helpless on her own – she can’t fend for herself and is faced with impending peril if left to herself – she has a Daddy who loves her and would do anything to protect her. I would lay down my life in a heartbeat for my precious little one. And I will not leave her to face this brutal world on her own. I will love her. I will provide for her. I will fight for her. I will guide her. I will be a father to her. Why? Because she is mine! Yes, she is helpless, but because she is mine, I will provide her every need.
Even though you and I are helpless, poor, wretched sinners left to ourselves; praise God, we have a Father who has not forgotten us. He has not abandoned us. He laid down His life for us. He loves us. He will fight for us. He provides for us. Why? Because we are His! “I will be a Father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to Me, says the Lord” (2 Corinthians 6:18)
Because of His love for us, because of His grace and forgiveness we can stand boldly as sons and daughters of God. “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord! … Therefore, no condemnation now exists for those in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 7:25 – 8:1)We have to remember Whose we are.
When we forget who we are and begin too think to highly of ourselves and too little of God, we minimize the gospel of salvation. And it in turn becomes less precious to us. The gospel is not: I am a good person because I have Jesus. The truth of the gospel is: I am a messed-up, depraved sinner, and I have a desperate need for Jesus on a daily basis.
Never forget who you are.
Never forget Whose you are.
Be Real!
REALity Check 