A Hug from God

God is SO faithful.  God has hung on to me even though I have been so often confused, weak and wrong.  I know that because God has revealed himself to me in Jesus Christ.  Jesus comes into our broken world, not to rally the faithful and good people, but to seek and save those who are lost (see Luke 19:10).

And who are the lost?  Primarily -- and each of us may say this -- primarily the lost one is me.  We get in trouble when we think WE are the ones who do the seeking and saving.

For example, in the story of the "Lost" or "Prodigal" Son from Luke 15, we can get tricked into thinking that we are the Father or the Elder Son when really, in truth, we are the Younger Son who is continually going off to the "far country" where we become desperate because we have foolishly spent what the Father has given.  None of us are primarily the faithful, waiting and loving Father nor the faithful Elder Son who as "never disobeyed [God's] command.

By God's grace alone, God may choose to use you or me in that process or helping or even "saving" someone else.  And we can rejoice when we get to see God at work in our lives. But if you or I ever think we are mainly saved people who has been sent to a lost world to good things for God, we are in trouble.  When I do that, I have just fallen into sin by putting myself in God's place.  God is the ONLY one who is faithful and the only human being who was always obedient was Jesus himself.  How DARE I think that I am anything other than a sinner alongside every other human being in this world?

This coming Sunday I get a chance to preach on that prodigal son story.  Other texts assigned for the day include Joshua 5:9-12, Psalm 32, and 2 Corinthians 5:16-21.  Please pray that I would remember who I am as I prepare.

Father God, I pray that you would always remind me of my brokenness so I am always in need of your embrace.  For it is only through your grace that I am saved.
 
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