I Have One Thing Going For Me

Yesterday it was very clear to me...apart from Christ I can do nothing.

N O T H I N G.

John 15:5. My life verse.

Well, I guess if you count snapping at my children, discouraging my husband and making a complete fool of myself, I guess that is something.

Maybe I should rephrase ... apart from Christ I can do no good thing. Psalm 16:2

Yesterday the Lord was sweet to show me why I so desperately need him. Moment to moment.

The details are silly and rather irrelevant. Something about unfinished school work, a slice of pizza and a couple of red balloons.

Well, too, a messy house, an overwhelming attempt to have a garage sale and an unloaded dishwasher.

I told you...silly.

No good thing.

I was like a rubber band, stretched to its max, who popped and smacked my family in the eye.

Oh, I need Jesus.

Don't think for one second that I've got it all together over here.

Jesus is the only thing I've got going for me.

The split second I step out of walking in the power of his Holy Spirit, is the second I sin.

There's no one foot in one foot out.

No, it's all Spirit or all flesh.

Yesterday was flesh.

So after a series of unfortunate events with my flesh, I got in the van and had to drive to the grocery store. And out of obedience to the Word (not desire - remember, I'm still in my flesh) I begin to praise Him. And thank him. And sing to him. Loudly. Expecting peace. (Philippians 4:6-7).

And there in my "die any day" mini-van, on the way to Food City, the Lord met me. He turned my heart of stone into flesh (Ezekiel 11:19). He forgave me and poured grace on me. He filled me with his Holy Spirit and gave me, not just peace, but unsurpassing peace.

Just like that.

He is so good. So good. I did not deserve that moment with him. I deserved a Holy sad spoon. But instead he blessed me. And set my feet on a rock.

Put to death, therefore what is earthly in you. Put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other, as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. Colossians 3:5,8,9,12-14

Anglea Thomas writes, "I need Jesus to walk around in my soul and open my eyes. I need Him to forgive, restore and change me into His likeness from encounter to encounter. I need spiritual depth and maturity. I am so needy that this cannot wait until the children are older or until our lives are 'settled.' I must finally come to the end of myself and cry aloud, 'Dear God Almighty, I cannot possibly make it apart from You." - Tender Mercy for a Mother's Soul

So true. I can not make it apart from Him. He is all that is good in me.

Abide in Him today.