depravity & sovereignty

God is sovereign.

We have been learning about what this means, and the enormity of this concept neatly places life into perspective and shoots down any excuses or justifications we may have about the way we live. God desires, demands, and deserves everything that we have - regardless of whether we believe in Him or not and regardless of how we measure up compared to others. He is Lord of all. 

We have had many lessons in humility recently as we have become aware of how much preparation of our hearts is needed for us to enter the mission field. We have had many opportunities for reflection and self-examination, and when we stop comparing ourselves with others and start looking at how our lives line up with the Word of God... we fall short every time. Several recent conversations and sermons have sent me away thinking, Who do I think that I am? Perhaps the most important fundamental concept we have been learning is that God does not need us. I will admit to you... I cannot tell you how many times I have (to my shame) looked at our past, present, and future (where God has brought us from and where He is taking us) and thought to myself, "Wow. I bet God is so thankful to have a couple like us serving and following Him". It's painful to even write that. How much pride is contained in that statement?! God does not need us. His will is done on Earth - in spite of us. He is sovereign. 

If we truly understood the sovereignty of God, we would all probably live a little differently. Sometimes right now, as our time here in the States is diminishing, it has been very easy to get very busy and to tell ourselves that we will spend more time in prayer and reading when we are in Mexico... or we will serve when we are in Mexico... or we will give when we are in Mexico. We make excuses and justifications for our actions. However, God's sovereignty allows for no excuses or justifications. Grant and I have been talking a lot about the idea that "If we aren't doing it here/now, we won't do it there/then". Our minds will tell us that things will be different further down the road, but I was recently encouraged to consider that the way we live our days is the way we live our lives. We can't live our days, our hours, our individual minutes one way and think that they will add up to a different kind of life. We are called to "walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time" (Colossians 4:5). We must redeem every second of the precious life that we have been given. We have been blessed so that we can bless others.

Psalm 67

"God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah. That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations. Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah. Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us. God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him."

So we had a long talk about the sovereignty of God last night. It was such a neat time to spend together, learning about the Word. And then this morning, as though God were teaching me Lesson 2 in a Unit Plan, I opened to Ephesians 3. This was especially beautiful because lately it has seemed as though God is being rather silent. But this morning I knew He was proclaiming His Truths to me loudly and clearly.

Ephesians 3
"For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.

For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen."

Nothing I can write here is necessary. The Word of the Lord stands true, needing nothing to support it. There is redemption and there is hope. Salvation came through the sacrifice of the Lamb; likewise our salvation comes through sacrifice - of ourselves, our will, our desires. 

Crown him with many crowns, 

the Lamb upon his throne, 

Hark! how the heavenly anthem drowns 

all music but its own. 

Awake, my soul, and sing 

of him who died for thee, 

and hail him as thy matchless King 

through all eternity. 

[...]

Crown him the Lord of love; 

behold his hands and side, 

those wounds, yet visible above, 

in beauty glorified. 

All hail, Redeemer, hail! 

For thou hast died for me; 

thy praise and glory shall not fail 

throughout eternity.

(Crown Him With Many Crowns)