Weak and Rebellious

Did I mention that I love Romans? I've been really enjoying it afresh by reading it in the Message and then re-reading it in the NIV. A kinds of fun fireworks are going off in my brain. Check this out.

Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He didn't, and doesn't, wait for us to get ready. He presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready. And even if we hadn't been so weak, we wouldn't have known what to do anyway. We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him. 

I don't think that I can hear that too many times. We were weak, and what little strength we had we devoted to rebelling against him, resisting his plan and discounting his authority. And then he sacrificed his son for us. That just doesn't get old. Humanity deserved death, and yet we received life. Then there is that last line. Christ died for us "while we were of no use whatever to him." This was not a strategic move. This was not God building up his resources, adding some valuable assets to his cause. We were worthless to him. This did not improve his portfolio. This was an expenditure, not an investment.

God let me follow your example. Let me spend my life the way that you did and do. God, I want to pour out the life that you provide without an expectation of a return, without an expectation of some kind of payback. Release me from an investment mentality, and lead me in your extravagant, prodigal (check out Timothy Keller's book Prodigal God if this confuses you) ways. Lead me to sacrifice myself for people while they are still sinners so that your life and power might flow through me and into them. Amen.

In Romans it says. . .

Wow, God knew I was going to need some Romans this morning. I love this letter. It's at the same time high theology and passionate love letter. As I've read through the New Testament this time, I've often switched to the Message paraphrase to give me a fresh take on scripture I've read many times before. I did that this morning and got so wrapped up that I read an extra chapter. I just couldn't stop reading. It's all still marinating a bit, and there is so much good stuff here. I'll just whet your appetite with a small morsel and hopefully you will dive in an read it for yourself.

In chapter 4, Paul gives a great dialogue on Abraham. This is certainly appropriate since he is addressing Jewish readers. Peterson translates verse 17 this way.

We call Abraham "father" not because he got God's attention by living like a saint, but because God made something out of Abraham when he was a nobody.

 I know this. I've know this for a long time. And yet, I'm constantly trying to get God's attention with my good deeds. I'm constantly trying to earn what he's already freely given me. I'm constantly trying to deserve what is only available as a gift of grace.

God, I'm a nobody, but I'm your nobody. I belong to you, not because of my worth, but because of your choice. Thank you for choosing me. Thank you for choosing humanity. Thank you for choosing creation. Today, I choose to live in response to your gift rather than tying to earn your favor. Amen. (Let it be so!)