Stop Digging

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.)

Verdict: Not Guilty

My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. 1 John 2:1 (NLT)

A little bit ago I went with friends to lend support as they went to court. They were told to show up at the lawyer’s office at 9 a.m. Court started at 9:30 a.m. So, my friends showed up at 9 a.m. When they walked in to the office, the receptionist said “Have a seat. Your lawyer is not here yet.” They sat and waited. And waited. Pretty soon it was 9:30. Court was starting without them.

They began discussing among themselves about how troubling this was. The receptionist heard them and said “Don’t worry.” As the conversation continued she began to explain what happens in the courtroom, the process they go through and the fact that my friend’s names are already on the docket with the lawyer assigned to them. She said, “As long as you walk in with your lawyer, you will be fine.”

This made me think of Jesus. The Bible says we all sin and fall short of God’s glory. We all do things that would make us guilty in God’s court. And if we were tried by the law alone, we would be condemned. It would be a done deal except…..except for the fact that we have a lawyer. And his name is Jesus.

As long as our name is on the docket next to his name, we are fine. As long as we walk with him and choose him as our Council, we don’t have to worry about what happens in the proceedings. Jesus is pleading our case and unlike the proceedings in an actual court room, our case has already been decided. The verdict is Not Guilty.

Not Guilty because we have the best Lawyer in eternity. I’ll take that verdict any day!

Who Would Imagine That?

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Ephesians 3:20 (NLT)

Whenever I am up against a problem, I think about this verse. In my humanness I want God to use his power to do more than I can ask or imagine. That’s the part we focus on, right?

But, didn’t he already do that?

Who would have ever thought that someone, someone I never met or knew, would give up unimaginable beauty to walk hot, dusty roads? Who would have thought of leaving the comfort of home where everyone around adored you to live in a place where jealousy and pride abound? Who would have thought that a creator/artist would limit himself so he could lift up other people? Who would have thought that there was a love so deep, so profoundly unthinkable, that he would leave safety to be in harm’s way every day? Who would have thought that someone would love me so much that he would give his life for me knowing I may not choose to love him back?

God has already accomplished more than we can ask or imagine. And because he did, there is a power at work in my life and my heart…..all for his glory.

Jesus, I bow before you and praise you. And while thank you doesn’t seem like enough, I know you hear my heart. Amen