As most people who have been around me for any length of time at all know, I am Daddy to two precious kids; my three year old daughter, Abbye Grace, and my one year old son, Ainsley. 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.
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 our student ministry and bark out orders to teenagers. But the truth is, despite being the most beautiful, intelligent, and happy 3 year 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 3 year old 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 are nothing apart from Christ.
We have to remember who we are.
Even though my Abbye is helpless on her own – she can’t fend for herself and is faced with impending peril if left all alone – 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 ones. 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 on our own are helpless, poor, wretched sinners; 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 too 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 Christ on a daily basis.
Never forget who you are.
Never forget Whose you are.
Be Real!
– Jason