2003-05-15 - The Cart Before the Horse

John 15:16 "You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He may give to you. (NASB)

Jesus gives us a great reminder in this statement. It should reorder our priorities and clear our focus.

In this world where man is the center of attention: our buildings reach higher and higher. Our trains, planes and cars go faster and run more efficiently. We fight diseases that were a death warrant only a generation ago. We harness the power of the atom and peer into the depths of the Universe to billions of light-years back in time. We measure perfection at times by a far too human standard.

If man were the measure of all things, we would not need a Savior. Jesus would not have needed to come and die an ignominious death on a cross - naked, spit upon, cursed and bleeding. If man were the measure of all things we would be sufficient to stand up to our frailty and sin. Then again, if man were the measure of all things then the definition of sin itself would be in question.

We are further from perfect than we are often comfortable admitting. We don't even have the mental discipline to manage our thoughts. We are distracted by things around us. We react badly by being cut off in traffic. How perfect are we if we can't handle that?

All we need to do is take an honest look at ourselves and it becomes obvious that we do need a Savior. We can not reach anything close to perfection without help. Many people are hoping their lives will have been lived "good enough" when they get to Heaven. It's not our standard that we will be judged against. To those who call themselves Christians, we did not chose to be saved from our sins. We were saved. We were called. We were chosen.

Eph 2:8-10 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; ⁹ not as a result of works, that no one should boast. ¹⁰ For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (NASB)

Grace & Peace,
Mike

jmhoskins@gmail.com
http://www.cfdevotionals.org

2007-05-17
2018-07-26