You brought me up from the grave, O Lord. You kept me from falling into the pit of death. Psalm 30:3 (NLT)
So what I’m going to talk about today is a little odd. I know that in advance but this imagery got stuck in my mind and I think it’s powerful. Imagine yourself standing in a field digging your grave. You have a shovel. And little by little you are digging a hole for well, yourself.
This is what our life of sin is like, right? The Bible says the wages of sin is death. So, with every sinful thought, selfish action or overtly sinful deed, we bend down and dig a little deeper. I wish I could say I don’t dig my own hole. Far from it. Have you ever been walking down the road and you see something and a really unkind thought pops into your head? I have.
Have you ever started to tell a story and while your intention was good when you started you end up making yourself look good while making someone else look not so good? I have.
Have you ever felt jealous because something good happened to someone else and not you? I have.
So, if I were going to measure the depth of my grave by my actions and thoughts, well, I’d have finished it long ago. But, here is the really cool thing.
Jesus, when he died on the cross and said “It is finished!” he covered up the hole I dig for myself. He called my name and your name and he said “Get out of there! You don’t belong in that grave! You are free.” In his death on the cross, he filled in my grave. He filled in your grave. He filled it in, packed it down, poured concrete in and threw away the shovel.
It was truly finished when he loved us so much that he gave up everything for us.
On the days when you feel like you are digging a hole; on the days when you think you are not good enough and no matter what you can’t get it right, remember. Remember that Jesus died for you. Throw away your shovel and stop digging. Your grave has been filled with love (and concrete.)