So, Faith Family, how shall I describe life at Peace In Jesus this week?
UNDER CONSTRUCTION!
For our new next-door neighbor to get their certificate of occupancy, our property manager had to bring all our bathrooms up to code, re-do the rear doors and put up exit signs. Throughout this devotion, I’ll include pictures of the renovation project.
What a mess!!! Piles of dirt, junk pipe, conduit, lumber everywhere. Don’t get me wrong—these improvements are welcome . . . when they are complete. I’ll soon forget about the distraction of masonry saws and the hum of professional grade power tools (ooh, power tools) when strutting across the beautiful new restroom tile.
These two subjects, piles of trash and being “under construction” make me think of Philippians chapter 3. Paul was inspired to write about all his sweet cultural “street cred” of being one of the coolest Hebrews on the planet. He probably considered himself in the running for best Jew ever. But all his cultural bragging points of the past he now considered . . . well, let him tell it: “What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ— the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.”
Good lesson there—we are all tempted in different ways to give in to (o.k., o.k., I’ll say it) pride. It’s odd, it usually hits us when we may not expect it and about things against which we are not guarded. Where does the devil bait you to be prideful? Your wit, wisdom or diploma? Your generosity, financial security or your stuff? Your appearance, clothes or gadgets? Your position, friends, or social standing? Maybe the bait is laid lower to get you to think you are better than other people, your way is the right way, or to think too highly of your accomplishments or character traits.
The deceiver is so twisted—taking blessings of God and warping it into something for you to become sinfully prideful. The ugly sinful condition from which we sprung displays itself in such a wrecked roller-coaster rail of ruin. We’ve been riding these rails since we turned from blue to pink. And we’ll be riding these twists until grey turns to white.
With what God has gifted you, you are blessed—let it remain a blessing and be on guard against sinful pride. Sure, God has given you great things in your life, but compared to Jesus himself, it doesn’t mean anything. Rubbish bin, baby.
Yet the “under construction” part follows. We are all works in progress, as someone I respect said to me just a few days ago. Paul continues, “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
“Nobody’s perfect” isn’t just an adage, it isn’t just a fact; it is an indictment. No one can claim to do everything right. Because not one mere human soul is perfect, every human soul needs saving. Righteousness (having done everything right) is the requirement to enter heaven. Since no human being can attain this, it must be given. God in his love has given righteousness through faith in Jesus (making us right with God).
You are. Through faith in Jesus, you are right with God. Say the following out loud, “I am right with God.” You are, because Jesus made you that way. Believe it. It’s true.
And God didn’t even stop there! He helps you every day, even if you are not realizing it. As you continue to be “under construction,” God protects you—don’t forget your back-support belt, blaze orange safety vest, steel-toed work boots, safety goggles, and hard hat! Well, God describes it this way in Ephesians: “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
Under construction! There is a frustration built in to a status such as ours. But grab hold of the oft-spoken encouragement, “It’ll be nice when it’s done.” Cast your thoughts heavenward and emphatically assent, “It sure will. It sure will.”
Have a blessed week!
--Pastor Dan